Letters
by NerdSavvy
Summary: It was a dream. A very, very wrong dream... And then I woke up. I finally, really woke up and saw what was always right in front of me. SunaKyo! Complete with extras
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: If I owned the Wallflower, honestly, would I be here? No. The answer is no. I'd probably be out at some concert, drooling over Gackt-san. Mumbles Tomoko Hayakawa-san always gets to live her dreams…

A/N: Okay, this is something that's been running through my mind. I thought I'd try it out… And I'll just go on from there.

Title: Letters Not Erased

Chapter: 1: Roles Have Switched

o0Kyohei0o

I don't know what the hell happened, but today started off really weird. I felt like I really did wake I up on the wrong side of the bed. I scramble down the stairs, and no one really seems to care that I've walked into the wall twice…

Well, I do know what the hell happened, actually. And as Sunako Nakahara innocently glides past me to serve breakfast, I remember it detail by detail.

It was a dream. A very, very wrong dream. I had waken up to the smell of breakfast, heavenly as usual. But it wasn't in this mansion, it was more like a really cool loft apartment. So I walk into the kitchen, and I see Sunako cooking, I walk up to her, and hug her from behind. She looks at me and she smiles radiantly.

She smells just the way I thought she would, like roses and lavender. She's a bit… Rounder, and older. Her chest has filled out, and she's still pretty thin, but her stomach seems to have more muscle behind it. She's even more beautiful than ever. It seems like she's glowing. I rub my hands on her stomach, and start talking to it. She laughs, and my attention is drawn to her again. I draw up to my full height, and kiss her softly. Then I say, "What should we name our baby?"

And then I woke up. I have no idea why the hell I had this dream. Sure, I've had dreams of Sunako before… But none like that. That one really made me think of what could happen if she really… If she… You know.

Whatever. I stumble into my chair, and she places a tray in front of me, then positions her other arm so that it almost wraps around me as she cranes to place something on the other side of me and leans in, not really noticing her intentions. I intake her scent. Roses and lavender. I start to blush now, as she is positioned over me, but then she's done serving me, and I find myself missing her scent…

It's been three years now, that Sunako has moved in with us. I still can't get used to her, and it makes me feel stupid, since she has gotten used to us already. But I lov- I mean, She's still Sunako, and that's cool. She doesn't care about what we look like any more. She has stopped hiding in the darkness, but she still loves it. Her heart still orbits around Jason and the like, and yet she doesn't mind looking at us directly any more. It's really strange for me to be comfortable around her. It's like we've kind of switched mindsets…

o0o

Sunako has lived with these beings for three years now, and she has finally gotten used to seeing them. It may have seemed impossible, but after everything that has happened, what with the mushrooms and being possessed, and pretending to date Kyohei, and so much more, Kyohei finally drilled it into her mind that she wasn't inferior, and if people thought she was, who cares? Because they really didn't matter. She had said she didn't care, but she had. Know she couldn't care less. She was acting indifferent to all the looks boys now gave her, and how girls now think she's pretty enough to hang out with Noi. She was the same caring person; she was pretty but never let it get to her head. She still cleaned the house and cooked better than ever, and what made the boys happy was that they had free rent, and what' s more… She was happy, being in her room and watching horror films, and then maybe going out to the arcade once in a while with the boys and Noi.

It was like she was back to how they all imagined she would have been before the 'incident.' What always got Kyohei's blood boiling when he thought about that, was the simple thought that is she was so perfect, why would that asshole call her ugly and screw up her life in the first place?

Then he thought more, and thought how she said she was like everyone else, now he looked at her. She was wearing a Marilyn Manson shirt, while practicing on a punching bag in one of the more secluded living rooms. So even though he hated it, he's kind of glad what happened to Sunako, happened to Sunako. It made her, her. It made her the perfect girl for him, and he has yet to notice it… Perhaps with a little help from our favorite lady killer?

o0Author's Not0o

Okay, just something I wanted to fiddle around with. And here is my favorite thing to say:

Please review. Hope you like it, and if you don't? I'll continue anyway, Goddamn it!


	2. Worries

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Please stop reminding me.

Title: Letter Not Erased

Chapter: 2: Worries

o0o

Today everyone headed down to the beach. They actually rented a car now that they didn't have to pay rent... And that Takenaga and Ranmaru had really high paying jobs. So they all packed in, Takenaga in front; driving, Noi fiddling with the radio while Sunako requested a station, Sunako behind Noi, Kyohei behind Takenaga, Ranmaru in the far back; talking on his cell phone about meeting his girlfriend there, and Yuki on the phone with Machiko-chan.

o0Kyohei0o

I don't want to go to the beach. Not Okinawa. Too many girls and too much revealed. I wish girls didn't care so much. Why can't guys and girls just be friends without caring about looks?

I lean forward to grab the chips from Noi as Sunako is leaning in to direct what station she wanted to listen to. I could smell it again; roses and lavender. It's so sweet and tranquil. I look at her smile as she argues playfully with Noi. I look at her laugh as she says something along the lines of, "They're sound is horrible. And those jockeys only play corny lovey-dovey crap..." It was nice to see her smile like that. It was nice to hear her laugh like that. It wasn't a high-pitched laugh, or light hearted, but elegant and soothing. It was hypnotizing to listen to. I realize I'm staring when Ranmaru stops talking. I turn around and he just raises an eyebrow at me. I start to get a little ticked, but I just ignore him.

"Dumb ass," I push through my teeth, as he simply laughs. Then he moves up in his seat, and reaches in front of him. His fingers extend to lightly caress Sunako's exposed shoulder blade. She turns around.

"Sunako, I was just wondering," He looks at me lazily, and let's his hand rest on her shoulder. I see it. He knows I see it, but I don't care. I really don't. I mean, what's there for me to be jealous about? I just clench my jaw in response and look away, trying to drown out whatever he's telling her. Then the conversation gets humorous and she turns completely around. Our knees touch and it sends an energy surge through my body. I look at her nervously from the side of my eye to see if she notices, but she doesn't. Ranmaru does. Damn him.

o0o

The six friends finally arrive at the beach, and the only one dreading it is Kyohei.

_They're lucky they have girlfriends... You could have Sunako… Shut up._

Kyohei knew it could never happen. She could have anyone now. Why would she want someone as hotheaded as him? It doesn't matter if he was the reason she was the way she was now. In truth he just wanted her happy, like she was right now. She wouldn't be happy with him. End of story.

Ranmaru and Yuki met up with their girlfriends, and it effectively warded off other girls, since they all had such gorgeous girlfriends…

Kyohei stole a quick glance at Sunako. She was readjusting one of the straps on her swimsuit. Kyohei almost blushed. Almost, but didn't quite. He only wished she hadn't picked out a bikini. Noi was of course the one who persuaded her, and Sunako would never have agreed if not for the skulls on the triangles and the 'Kick Ass' label across the butt. That could have been enough, seeing her, eighteen-years-old, and in a bikini… But no, she also had to attract guys.

Kyohei clenched his fist, she didn't do it on purpose, it was just her aura. She was Sunako. She was gorgeous and genuine. He was a fool for being the only single (Some not so much) guy not trying to court her.

o0o

Sunako hopped stubbornly onto her board for the millionth time. Today's turn out was amazing, with waves almost twenty feet high, they towered over her. They were intimidating if you were on the shore, so imagine if you were Sunako or Kyohei, trying to ride them.

It was strange to see Kyohei wipe out more often than Sunako. They were always so competitive, you would think they would tie. But something was wrong with him. He looked dazed and if you looked closer, you knew it was more than that. He was always watching a certain other. Said girl had swum out very far away, and close to the rocks. He could normally multi task and he would have. But every time another local surfer got close to her, he tried to turn around and ward them off, but instead he'd lose balance and fall over. The amusing point of all this was simply that he never caught it. If he had looked just a second longer, he could see the worried glance Sunako shifted in his direction. But he never saw it, because he never imagined it would be possible.

After his billionth munch, Sunako paddled over to him. Her hair was a tangled mop in a ponytail, and her skin glittered unnaturally with the salty water. He stared, pouting and frustrated as he turned his board to face her frowning face. He waited for her to say something, but nothing came. When he finally opened his mouth to speak, to confess his troubles, she interrupted.

"I'm worried about you," She edged closer to his board as they sat.

"Wor.. Wha…?" Kyohei stumbled, not even able to finish his sentences anymore, he just tightened his lips shut and stared. Waiting as they always were. Waiting for one to move first.

"I'm worried, because you've changed… It's scary…" She looked away from him. They stared at the endless sea, where sea green met purples and pinks. She didn't want to finish her sentence, and it was their downfall.

Neither ever said what they meant, the other never knew the real meaning. How annoying to witness.

o0Authors Note0o

First, WOW. Sunako Nakahara just said Kyohei was "scary!"

Thanks for reviewing. I don't want to address everyone specifically, simply because I don't want to mislead you into thinking I wrote more than I actually did uu;… Thank you. I know it's different. I'll answer any questions you have! I swear! Please, just review, I'm sad, and I'm begging! Critique the pathetic!

Ren (Yes. That's my name… It's also how I sign all of my art, so I thought I'd do that here, too.)


	3. I Beg You

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Please stop reminding me.

Title: Letter Not Erased

Chapter: 3: Hands on my knees. I beg of you, please?

A/N: Sorry for the long title. But I like it, Don't you?… No? Oh well. Que sera, sera.

o0Kyohei0o

I've changed? I've changed! Look at her, letting those guys drool all over her… It's gross. Why is she doing this? It's like she's only disgusted by me. I hate it. I hate her.

"C'mon. Just one drink, and you can go back to pretty boy, over there," The guy flops his curls from his face, tightening his grip around Sunako's shoulder.

"Well, actually. He's the person I'm trying to get away from…"

"Alright then!" He slams his hand on the counter, "It's settled, Johnny, a nice one for my lady over here," the surfer winks at the bartender arrogantly.

I noticed as soon as the bartender placed the concoction down. I start striding to Sunako's side in quick motions and I pulled the suspicious liquid from her lips.

"Hey--!"

"She doesn't want **any** of what yer offering!" I wrap my hand firmly around her wrist and pull her towards the door.

"What the hell was that about?" She asked once I had pushed her into the passenger's seat of the car Takenaga had rented.

She whipped her hair so it fell casually around her face. She had no idea the effect her 'look' gave me. I knew it well, one of those 'screw-with-me-and-I'll-kick-your-ass' looks. She was breathing kind of heavy, like it was hard for her to breathe. Had she already drank some of that weird crap the jerk had given her?

"Well? Why don't you leave me alone?" She was really pissed for someone who should be thanking me. She was burning holes into my soul with the stare she was concentrating on me. It was too powerful for any normal girl to have, even though we're eighteen now… I guess I have to accept the fact that she can really handle herself… Not like she couldn't when we were fifteen… But still, I think she underestimated men, and her hold over them, "Hey!" She pushed my shoulder, knocking me back to our given scenario.

I refocus my eyes on her, she was closer than before, and she was still breathing heavily. I could tell I was going to blush. Why couldn't Noi have picked out something less revealing for her to wear? It's too damn distracting, "You're too naïve."

Her brows loosened from the strict knit they were in, "What?"

"You underestimate the effect you have on men, Sunako. You're eighteen now, and those guys were what? Twenty-eight? Sunako, you don't know what they could've—"

"Shut up, already! I can handle myself. I don't need you to worry, I haven't screwed anything up too bad, you won't owe auntie any rent when summer's over. So give up the act. You **don't** care. So stop pretending you do!"

It pisses me off how stupid she is. Why did she have to say that? It's not like I like worrying about her all the time, and having to deal with all the guys hitting on her all the time. I have to worry. I can't let anyone hurt her ever again. We'd lose too much. Why does she have to remind that I **do** care?

"You're so stupid, Sunako!" I was shouting at her, like when we were younger, "You're acting like some slut!" I haven't yelled at her for a long time. Not like that. I'm always so damned direct. In years down the road, I've always regretted the way I handled this scenario… Why had it bothered me so much? Oh, now I remember.

Slap.

There was one swift slap across my face, knocking my head almost completely around. It was enough for my head to hit the plastic of the seatbelt, and then I don't remember anything but her face. It was wet, and sad. That's why I regret it the most… Well, almost.

o0Sunako0o

Why did he have to do that? Why did he have to say my name? He only does that when there's something really serious. When he says my name… I feel like a child, or something in that value. I just need to forget it. The summer will be over soon, and I'll never see him again. I'll be happy then. I really don't care when he leaves. I just want to forget.

I walk back into the club, and that guy's still there. For some reason, he isn't pissed. He just laughs, "I'm glad you came back."

"Yeah," I raise my shoulders, and push my hands into my sweater pockets, all I had to cover my bikini, and I regret not changing first, "I just needed to get away."

He nods, "Overprotective boyfriend?"

"Oh, he-He's not my boyfriend-"

"Heh. So he's just a jealous moron," He isn't a moron. He isn't jealous… He's just… Fine, he can be a moron then.

The guy hands me a drink. He says it'll make me feel better about everything. I want to feel better again. I let the liquid rush through my mouth, and slip down my throat with a sting. But I don't stop. I keep drinking until there's none left.

"Ooh. Look at you chug," He laughs and puts his hand on my arm. I look at him through half lidded eyes, and he whispers something in my ear, "You're head must be spinning, let's take you to the back."

"O-Okay…"

I just feel tired. I just want to forget. I want everything to stop spinning, because I know it's not just my head. It's my stomach, and my intestine, my senses, and my heart.

o0o

The man led Sunako carefully through a back hallway, down a flight of steps, and into a chain of isolated rooms, "members only," He laughs handsomely, and leads her into a room cut off from the rest.

"W-well, it is quiet in here," Sunako puts a trembling hand to her forehead, brushing away her bangs gracefully. She sat down on the long plush couch, and leaned against the armrest, "But what purpose does it serve?"

The attractive man laughed, shaking his curly locks out of his face once more as he squatted down beside her, rather close. She noticed this, through lazy eyes, she kept watch of his knee colliding with hers, "I'll show you,"

Pounce.

Without warning, he took the chance of an opened, questioning mouth to cover with his own. Her eyes grew wide with shock, as she pushed from his shoulders, but he didn't move.

Damn! I feel so weak… And tired… I can't fight him! What's wrong with me?

"_She doesn't want **any** of what yer offering!" … "You underestimate the effect you have on men" … "You don't know what they could've…"_

Could've what?… Oh God! I'm so stupid! That drink… He… Drugged me…

"No!" His hand was sliding further and further up her thigh as she struggled to keep him away. Her screams muffled by his lips and tongue, she felt sick.

Not like this… I don't want this. Please!

"Get off of me!" She yelled but no one heard. His strong figure vaulted over her, and she was trapped completely. He pulled off her sweatshirt forcefully, groping at everything he could get his hands on. She felt the pain before it happened. Kyohei flashed through her mind…

Forgive me… Save me…

o0Author's Note0o

Heh heheheheheh. Cliff hangers are fun! Eventful chapter up next I hope. I don't really know because I have yet to write it ((obviously))

NerdSavvy


	4. Release

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Please stop reminding me.

Title: Letter Not Erased

Chapter: 4: Release

o0Kyohei0o

Damn. I recover about twenty minutes after she ran out of the car, holding my head, I run back into the stupid club. Squeezing past the dumb girls, I frantically look the counter up and down. Nowhere.

"Damn," I mumble it under my breath as some girl walks in front of me, "Listen. I don't wanna dance, alright?"

"And neither do I," she responded seriously, crossing her arms in a defensive way. She was pretty, with brown and sun streaked hair. She didn't look Japanese. Maybe Central American. She spoke through her full lips, "You looking for that girl with the 'kick ass' on her ass, right?"

I can admit I was surprised, but I replied with a simple nod, and she told me to follow her.

"Me and Brian have been fighting over our vacation here. Anyway, he does these things to piss me off. I saw where he took her, alright? And it isn't good-"

She was interrupted by a scream. A scream I knew well.

Damn, Sunako. Why do you always make me worry? Shit. If anything happens to you…

o0Sunako0o

"Please!" She was crying, begging. Whatever he put n her drink, it paralyzed her.

"Damn. You know you should be sleeping? But I like a good fight," He laughed a disgusting laugh. It scared me. I didn't want to know what he was thinking. But I did know. And I can only remember wishing to forget before his sweaty hand slid from my diaphragm to my abdomen…

I forced my eyes closed, I wanted this to end. I didn't want this to happen. I didn't know what it might do to…

"Kyohei!"

o0Kyohei0o

"Kyohei!"

I heard it, a single agonizing scream. It was coarse and I could feel her pain coarse through me as we neared the room. I remember feeling more scared than I had ever felt before. Even more than if I was surrounded by a million women. Worse than being kidnapped. Worse than death. She was in pain. It was my fault…

I turned the knob. Locked. Duh. I resorted to bashing my side against the door until the cradle of the knob cracked and broke off.

"Sunako!" I pause for a moment. I can't believe I did. But the image is burned into the back of my retinas forever. The rapist had his hands all over her exposed body, but thank God he hadn't gotten any farther.

Her eyes started to flutter closed, "… Kyohei," And… She smiled… It wasn't a full smile, but no less mind blowing. A relieved smile, all because I came for her.

But then the smile faded, and she slumped into unconsciousness in the graceful way she had become accustomed to. I wanted to deck the guy. I really did, but she was way more important than that dumb-ass soul. I at least got to push him off of her, and throw him against the wall before I pulled off my XXL T-shirt and pulled it over her, thanking God for the strength not to blush in our given situation… She really was perfect. I give a "thanks" to the creeps girlfriend as she slaps the crap out of the terrified pervert.

I picked her up carefully. My left arm under her knees, and my right supporting her upper back. I carried her cautiously out of the club, the crowd parting like the red sea ceremoniously.

After a long struggle, I manage to get her into the passenger's seat. I strap her in, and get into the driver's side quietly. I put the keys into the ignition and sigh, "You'll be the death of me, you know?"

I look at her, breathing softly. I know she can't hear me… But it's a comfort for me to be able to tell her… Because she makes me too insane when she's actually conscious…

"Sunako," I grip the steering wheel tighter as we turn another corner on the deserted streets, "You make me worry about you… So much that it makes me insane… I…"

I'm losing it. I know that I am. And I know that it's all because of her. But I had to say it, because if I don't I might admit it when she can hear me.

"I think… No. That's not right," I take my right hand off the wheel and roughly run it through my hair, "Okay…" I look at her again. She's smiling that sweet, tiny smile, "I love you…"

It was barely audible. The smallest of whispers, yet her smile widened in a serene way that really did make me warm inside. And I know its cliché. But I guess it is for a reason.

I look back onto the road, then roll down the window, and let my hand feel the rush of cool air. Of release…

"I love her," I told myself. I had admitted it to myself. I've loved her for three years, and although this is the strangest time to admit it… It's when I did. It's the truth… I love her, and I don't feel scared to tell myself that anymore…

Just telling her is another story…

o0Author's Note0o

Bwaha ha haha! Was it good? Yes. It may seem like it may end soon, but not to worry, because it won't! Oh, and I know Kyohei may seem a little out of character. ((which I regret calling attention to)) It's just because he has to have matured a bit over three years right? Anyway, next chapter might have spoilers… I'm not sure yet, but I know their coming. I don't want to give anything away, but someone… Unexpected will be joining the plot soon. A very important someone.


	5. You Fool

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Please stop reminding me.

Title: Letter Not Erased

Chapter: 5: You Fool

Dedicated to: BlackTopHat,

A/N: _Cue creepy witch voice…. _**I'm back!**

o0o

The slender eighteen-year-old finally reached the hotel where they were staying, and he carefully pulled his unconscious friend from the passenger's side.

"Sunako," He tried waking her up, by lightly smacking her in the face a few times. Then remembering this hadn't worked at a swim meet three years ago, it sure as hell wouldn't work now, "Fine… You annoying little…"

He heaved a sigh, and lifted her from the seat, and again, her scent came to him; roses and lavender.

As he carried her to the room she shared with Noi, he passed many women looking at Sunako with envy. With their pearl necklaces, botox-injected cheeks, and plastic noses upturned. Then they passed what seemed to be the woman's prehistoric husbands, eyeing them both before smirking at Kyohei, who sneered so menacingly they rushed to their wives for protection.

Finally, after passing through the hundredth ivory hallway, he reached her corridor. Reaching for the door, he heard muffled sighs and… Other noises coming from inside. Of course, how could he not have known? Noi was in there, and Oda being the shy man he is, had decided to spend their alone time in her room doing God knows what… He sure didn't need to know, so he came to the only logical conclusion.

Heaving another huge sigh, he knew the only alternative. There was Ranmaru, whom he didn't trust and there was Yuki… But no, being the crude gentleman that he was, he groaned and told her, ""Fine. I'll sleep on the couch then."

o0Kyohei0o

It wasn't enough that I had to sleep on a Goddamned couch all night, while Sleeping Beauty over there got to sleep soundlessly on my soft five-star bed in this dumb-ass five-star western-style hotel. No, not only was I the only one of us **not** enjoying last night, Miss Nakahara called in this morning, and requested we join some formal party at another hotel, hosted by some Chairman of something stupid. Of course, when she _requests_ us to go, she's really _demanding_ that we go. And of course, everyone is thrilled… Except me and Sunako. It felt like being hit repeatedly with a bat until finally, it breaks.

When we finally arrived at the banquet, Takenaga and Sunako were the only ones in traditional kimono. The rest of us were dressed up kind of casual, but still kind of formal, too.

It was fun watching Takenaga and Sunako maneuver through the crowd of people, because they stuck out like a soar thumb… But at the same time, it was weird looking at them, because they looked really compatible and I never really thought about Sunako with anybody. Even though it should have been obvious, especially with how beautiful she looked tonight. I'm not getting sappy, you moron. I'm getting real. I may not be a traditionalist, but even I could see how she brought out the beauty and elegance of her kimono.

She really did wear kimono well. It was a beautiful black silk, with an array of miniature white swans rising from the hems from a shimmering red sea. Her obi was silver with cerulean silk woven in to give the impression of clouds trying to hide the alluring moon.

Or was she the moon? I know some of you may think that I've gone soft on you, but… Well, in comparison to how completely ruthless I was when I hadn't met a girl like Sunako, a girl who didn't love me for my looks… Actually, she was the opposite. She was my enemy because she thought I was of a different class, when really we are all the same. She's the only girl who has ever had the same effect on me as my mother… But she was different. She tried to find me, asked me to come home. Only now, finally, does she learn what I had been telling her from the start, judging anyone by simply their looks makes you no better than those who judge you. Like I should talk, it's not like I have overcome my fear…

Looking at Sunako now, looking at the place I had worked to get to. I stripped the memory again, for the thousandth time away from my brain like fresh paper machè. Like the skin of an apple being peeled away until you were left with the meat, and perhaps I would trust someone enough to eat that away, too.

But then I would still have the core… What the hell could I do with the core?

o0Pre A/N0o

Okay who got that analogy? Huh? Well, you know about all the fans he had in Jr. High, well that apple is his secret. Okay?

o0o

Some time had passed before finally, she entered the party. Immediately, she caught the eye of almost every man in the room, because most were simply middle-aged businessman. And the two exceptions being Yuki, who only gazed innocently (still innocent at eighteen). And Ranmaru, who had dropped the woman he had been charming for the past hour and headed in the newcomers direction.

After she had politely paid her respects to the host, Ranmaru tapped her shoulder and asked her to dance. She glided with him like the fish in a local stream, they may not be well known, but they surely know their place in the world and sauntered through life with confident integrity.

Ranmaru soon learned that this girl, Sayuri Sakamoto was an early college graduate, at nineteen this year. Although she shared the same name as the hot springs owner of some time ago, she was too different for it to really occur to him. She knew seventeen different languages, three he had never even heard of. She was confident in a way that suggested she never cared what you thought, "because I know I will be judged whether I stay silent, or speak my mind," she had told him while they danced. So indeed she was out of his league, and none of his skill with women would out-smart her. This would be a challenge that somehow reminded him of the small tricks that he sometimes tried to play with Sunako, at Kyohei's expense. None the less, this was something new to arouse great feelings inside of him. Not the normal, trademark, Morii the lady-killer feelings, but excitement and doubt. One more foreign to him than the other.

Soon they tired of dancing and retired to a wall further away from the music and hodgepodge. They laughed like old friends as they watched Yuki being hit on by old men, and Takenaga and Noi dancing. Ranmaru explained how they liked each other for so long, and how shy he was. Sayuri laughed at how good they looked together, and yet still looked as awkward as oil and water.

Then their attention turned to Kyohei and Sunako, talking on the opposite wall, and scowling at the dancers.

"Hehe," Ranmaru touched Sayuri's arm, and directed her attention to the unofficial couple, "Those two killjoy's over there are my friends, Sunako and—"

"—Takano?" Sayuri had let her drink slip from her fingers, and land along with Morii's as they stared at each other in astonishment.

"You know him?"

They had said it in unison, and then both were silent for a moment. Taking awkward glances at one another, Sayuri finally spoke up, "So how did you meet Takano?"

"It's a long story. You?"

"Most likely longer. And I don't think he'd appreciate me blabbing… And I'd feel uncomfortable as well, unless I knew how you two are connected."

After a moments process, he spoke again, "We're good friends, and we-Takano, Oda, Yuki, and I- have been roommates for four 3 years with Sunako+1 year w/out Sunako(I'm not counting the year they didn't age!) years. Is that good enough of a reply?"

Sayuri nodded slowly, "If it's true? Yes."

And they laughed again, but Ranmaru couldn't help but notice, that she never took her eyes off of Kyohei.

"So how do you know him?"

Sayuri smiled, never dropping her gaze. She forced her eyes closed, shook her head, and laughed, "It was a school-girl crush," She began regretfully, as she saw Morii's smile leave his velvet lips, "Anyway, we were in middle school together. Every girl chased after him, and I just joined in, because I thought it was fun… He was so upset by everyone. He always stayed by himself, with his bodyguards in toe… I loved to see him at his worst, you know, when he'd flip out and scream so loud his face turned blue... Well, a few days passed, and he hadn't been in school," Sayuri's face darkened, and she looked down at her feet in shame, "A friend of mine told me he had been kidnapped. It really wasn't much news to me, because he would get kidnapped at least three times a month… But this time, I heard he was severely drugged. Girls spread rumors saying he had been raped. They were rumors, of course… But that was when I realized how severely he was hurting. Before I thought it was just a game, and that he really enjoyed all the attention. I was a fool," He could see the tears in the corners of her eyes, but admired her stubbornness in keeping them from falling.

He felt bad for Kyohei. Of course he would, he is his friend… But seeing how much he had started to like Sayuri, I mean, really like her, well… You could see how it made him see green.

"But, the point is, we became friends, good friends actually… I tried to talk to him. I was determined to tell him, the next time I saw him, but the next day I learned that my father had enrolled me into a specialized, early admissions high school. I left the next day, and I never got to tell him…"

He didn't know what she wanted to tell him, but he could take a guess. He himself heard it every day of his life. But he didn't dare ask. It would hurt his pride to know.

o0Sunako-Morning0o

I had woken up, and there was Kyohei in my room watching TV like every bad time in the past. Only this time, my collection wasn't with me… The room was so bright here.

I looked at the back of his head for a while, trying to remember what happened last night, but I couldn't really. I just started wondering why he never got a new hairstyle, always the same Kyohei…

"_Kyohei!"_

My eyes snap wide open, I remember. It was horrible. I was so stupid to- to… Kyohei was only looking out for me, why hadn't I listened? I'm such a fool. He saved me from that loser. He actually cared… Hadn't he always?

I think I'm just being dramatic. Why am I crying?

I guess I sniffled a little loudly, because Kyohei turns around and looks at me. He knows I'm crying and I guess he's worried because he frowns and brings me some tea. He sits next to me on the bed, and the next thing I know, I'm in his arms-not crying, just being… Thinking. I'm reminded of when I had lost Hiroshi-kun to those fangirls… He's stronger and he's filled out more… He's so handsome. Agh! Stop thinking like that! Stop…

I close my eyes and find myself drifting off to sleep again, he's calmed me down just by holding me, saying things like, "It's okay… You're okay…"

I guess it was a traumatic experience, and the first time I couldn't defend myself… But for some reason, it was okay now… Kyohei was openly comforting me… _Physically _comforting me…

"…_I love you"_

Was that me? Did I say that? Where was that from? I remember someone saying it… Or was I thinking it?

… _I love you…_

o0Sunako-Now0o

Kyohei and I are just hanging out like nothing happened, I guess it's better this way, but… Something unsettles me, something I don't know yet.

All of a sudden, I get my answer. Some drop dead gorgeous woman slides in and starts talking to us, mostly to Kyohei…

Her name is Sayuri and she is by far the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. Apparently, they had known each other from middle school, and they were kind of friends… but Kyohei doesn't have girlfriends. He hates women. Why is he so cheery with her?

"Repulsive, aren't they?" Ranmaru is standing next to me while everyone else crowds around the gorgeous pair.

"It's sickening." I agree, not minding how close he is standing, because for once, we are in agreement.

"Oh my God, not this story… Yuri, please…" he's laughing with her, calling her nick names. Entertaining while everyone crowds around to listen, she's holding onto his sleeve and laughing while she tells the story…

"Get a room," I seethe loud enough for Ranmaru to laugh and for Kyohei to spin his head in my direction. He was smiling, but then for some reason, he looks at me- worried. His face falls and I don't know why it affects me so much…

I guess Ranmaru notices, because he takes me gently by the elbow and escorts me out of the party. We're right there by the door, but at least I don't have to look at them anymore.

"Thanks," I mumble, leaning against the wall, "I don't know what's wrong with me… Too much to drink, I guess."

He just laughs and looks at me from the corner of his eye.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"What?" I give him my best intimidating stare. An evil eye to rival Kyohei's.

He just smiles and bends low. He whispers one word. "Jealous?"

I'm about to protest when I hear the cough. You know the cough. That "I caught you doing something you should not be doing" cough.

But it was Ranmaru's fault! Stupid flirt.

o0Author's Note0o

I'll end it here. I'm sorry. Oh, please- anyone who recommends other writers who write PGE stories, tell me! And anyone who recommends any other good mangas, tell me that, too. Oh, and anyone who speaks Japanese, please contact me, I need help with something (a surprise of some sort).

I've decided this as a rule for all of my stories. I've decided this because I want more reviews, of course! I like it when you guys criticize me, I'm not saying I like to be broken down by harsh comments, but I like your help and feedback, so here is what I'm suggesting. Everyone who reviews gets a 1-page preview of the next chapter! The first reviewer gets to read the next chapter of my story one week before I post it! (I'll post every two weeks if that's all right.

Okay, so Review and…

LATER DAYS!


	6. Decieve Me

Disclaimer: I don't own the Wallflower, PGE, Sunako of Many Forms, etc. I don't own. I don't own Discovery Channel. I honestly don't own anything any of you guys would care about.0.o….

Title: Letter Not Erased

Chapter: 6: Deceive Me

Dedicated to: lovelydeaths(not only do you make me

smile, you were my 200th reviewer!!), naash(You're so

nice!), and beelzenof(do you watch Ouran HS Host Club,

too?)

o0Sunako0o

There stood Noi, her head cocked to one side like a confused dog, only she knew exactly what was going on, and she didn't like it.

"Ranmaru!" She rushed over, grabbing him by the ear so he bent low and dragging him across the entrance-right in front of everyone, "you know that Sunako is Kyohei's girl, stop hitting on her!"

"Never!" I yelled instinctively into the doorway, and they all look and turn around. I furrow my brows and head upstairs.

Ranmaru follows…

"Go away, Ranmaru," I say behind me as I push the button for the elevator. It's taking too damn long so I head for the stairs instead.

"Sunako, listen to me, I know-"

"LEAVE ME ALONE, RANMARU!" God, he's so dense. So I start to run, I know I'm too fast for him, and he should know it by now, too.

Again, he's too dense to do what he should be expected and runs after me. He grabs my arm and spins me around to look at him. How did he catch me after only two flights of stairs?

"Listen to me."

He says it so firmly, and tightens his grip. He looks me dead in the eyes and being the dope that I am, I actually obey.

"I know how you feel about Kyohei. I know that your going to deny it, but don't anymore. That's just too pathetic. I know he feels the same for you, but to be honest… To be honest, he doesn't deserve you. I think you should be with someone who will tell you how beautiful you are all the time. Someone who will be there for you," I thought about this morning. I thought about the way he held me. "Someone who isn't afraid to let the world know he cares," And then I thought about just now…

I shake my head, shutting my eyes, shielding them from my heart. Idiot. Stupid, fucking idiot.

I start to cry.

This stupid boy is making me cry. Over something as stupid as… As… This. My hands shoot towards my face, trying to hide my tears, but he sees and before I know it, he pulls me to him, for comfort, the way Kyohei had. I open my mouth to mumble a "thanks" before pushing him away, but then there's Kyohei. I can't believe it but he's standing right there at the bottom of the stairs.

He's got this weird look on his face, like he doesn't know what to think. I watch him close his hand into a fist before opening it and raking it into his hair. I don't know what that meant, but it's what I felt like doing moments ago… Then he turns his head away completely, and he walks through the nearest door.

Calm. No piercing words. No flying fists. But why would I even expect that from him?

Like Ranmaru said, it's not like he cares enough about me. I really doubt he does at all. And neither do I.

It was something else entirely.

o0o

Two days later and the crew heads back home. With Sunako and Takano and Ranmaru all avoiding each other, Yuki, Oda and Noi predicted it to be a long rest of the summer.

Another day had passed since Sunako had told Ranmaru the whole story, they decided to go out for some coffee at a local cafe.

Now all who lived in the Nakahara mansion (and most of the people who visited) were known in the district as basically royalty. No one bothered stalking them or causing trouble now that the "spooky girl" had left the manor… Now that a gorgeous girl had moved in. Somehow, that made Sunako laugh, that they thought she was a different person entirely. But the market people did miss her. So she was happy to admit that it was her, she still found it funny how they thought she was someone else... She wished she was someone else.

"The Suspension Bridge Effect?"

"This is why I've been feeling… this…"

Sunako turns the book around and shows it to Ranmaru, "'…Discovered by Arthur Aron in an experiment in which a man would cross a 450-foot bridge that swayed in the wind over a 230-foot drop. The men would then talk to a woman on the other side who handed him a questionnaire. Unlike men crossing a safe wide bridge, the men crossing the high and narrow suspension bridge showed more interest in the female tester…'" He furrowed his brows, "What the hell did I just read?"

His comrade heaves a sigh, "'In other words, the men crossing the suspension bridge would mistake their fear and anxiety for excitement and attraction.' See? That's why I thought I felt that way about him, it's the suspension bridge effect!"

Sunako smiles ear to ear while Ranmaru simply rolls his eyes, "That could explain why you may have felt that way at that very moment, but why would it affect you two, three days later?"

She bit her lip before snapping, "Shut up! At least I have a theory!"

"Why don't you just listen to mine?!"

"Because yours is bullshit!"

Ranmaru opens his mouth to retort, but he draws back. Then he shoots his hand in the air in his trademark charming fashion, "Check please."

They both sat their, arms crossed. Steamed and relentless.

She blew hot air out of her nose and looked away, crossing her legs in a huff. Ranmaru took out his wallet.

After she had become sufficiently bored with counting how many petals the three pansies their centerpiece had and Ranmaru had finished counting what little singles he had, they looked at each other.

In unison, "Look-"

"I know your trying--"

They shook their heads and laughed. After paying, Ranmaru and Sunako started to calmly walk back to their house.

"Okay, listen to me."

"If it's about-"

"No, it's not about that," Ranmaru took a deep breath, "I like Sayuri."

Sunako's face flushed red with anger, "What? You too?"

Ranmaru sighed, "What? I can't help it, she's so different…"

His face grew solemn with a far-off gaze Sunako couldn't quite name…

She sighed, somehow, she was able to understand it, "Fine, I'll help you."

He grinned happily, "Thank you, Sunako. Okay, now here's the plan…"

o0Kyohei0o

I don't get it. I honestly, don't get it. Sunako and Ranmaru? It's the strangest thing I've ever…

Whatever, it's not like I care…

I don't care.

I'd never cared…

I'm not in…

"The Nile River is the longest river…"

_Click_.

Stupid Discovery Channel. I'm hungry.

"Nakahara!" I'm just going to act normal and friendly the way we've been for the last three years. No problem.

"Yeah?!" She shouts from the kitchen. Her voice seems a little shaky, but maybe my hearings off.

"Is it lunch time yet, I'm starving…" I mumble as I walk into the kitchen doorway.

I guess what comes next shocked me the most because until then I had my head down, looking at my hungry stomach. But then I look up.

It's like my dream only, thank God, Buddha and heaven, she's not pregnant.

But Ranmaru does have his arms around her and he's just all over her while she's cooking. What am I supposed to do?

"What the hell?"

I said it automatically, I don't know why I said that exactly, but I did.

"Get your perverted hands off her!"

And I threw an apple at the back of his head, too.

Sunako turns and looks at me surprised, but then Ranmaru squeaks out an, "Ouch…" and Sunako looks at him. It's weird, because he gives her a nod, then he whimpers some more and then she reaches up and strokes the place I had hit him.

"Are you okay?" My lip starts to twitch and I think I'm about to crack, but then Sunako giggles. She giggles. And she scolds him, in that joking, couple way, "He's right, Ranmaru." He makes her look in his eyes.

"Shame on me," Then he just grabs her and starts kissing her.

Fuck this.

I need a walk.

o0o

She waits until she hears the door close to smack Ranmaru across the face, "Dammit, Morii! I never said you could kiss me!"

"I know, I know… I got excited," He gives her puppy-dog eyes, "I'm sowwy. But hey, did you see the look on his face? He's already going to crack! This is perfect. You really hurt him, Sunako."

She rolls her eyes, "Shut up. Just… Shut… Oh."

Ranmaru smiles softly, wiping the tear from her eye, "Even though you like to act tough, Sunako-chan... You really are sincere, aren't you?"

She covers her mouth with both hands and leans her back against the counter. Her brows furrow like she doesn't understand.

"I'm sorry Sunako, I'm teasing you. Look, about Kyohei- I know you agreed to mess with him to help me win over Sayuri, but…"

"No."

"What?"

"I'm going to help you… But… I don't want to… Hurt him. Okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm sorry. I went too far," He pauses for a moment, "we can stop as soon as he starts to complain to Sayuri about us."

o0o

"And he just goes and… And…" Kyohei mashes two teddy bears together, and all three of them get the idea, "It was disgusting."

"Well, I'm gonna give Ranmaru a piece of my mind. Who does he think he is, stealing your-"

Yuki pushes a pillow over Noi's mouth and smiles, "Just ignore Noi." Then he becomes stern, "But seriously, Kyohei… Even though it is against house rules… Don't you think the real problem… Is you?"

"What are you-"

"I mean… That," Yuki looks encouragingly at his friend, "You're in love with Sunako."

"Fuck you!"

"Kyohei!" Kyohei stopped, his hand on the door knob, "It's okay… How you're feeling... It's okay, isn't it?"

Takenaga crossed his arms, "Sunako is our friend, and we all know that you two belong together." Noi put her hand on his shoulder in comfort, "I know that she really does… Love you."

Kyohei was stone, petrified for only a moment.

He snorts, "Bullshit. I don't care. I'm out of here!"

They let him go.

Takenaga shook his head and sighed, "He doesn't realize… That it's his fault that Sunako is actually being sucked into Ranmaru's charm."

o0o

"So everything's going well?" Ranmaru smiled.

"Of course. Sunako completely bought our story, and she played along really well." Ranmaru sat calmly in Sayuri's suite. Of course, he feigned his placid composure. Inside his mind was racing, his heart was beating fast. His plan, his "lies" to Sunako were honest to God truth. For he realized the feelings he did have for Sunako, they were not right. He hoped that possibly a certain other may fit perfectly in her place… Oh well, this was for Sunako and Kyohei, not himself, "She really believes that us flirting in front of Kyohei will get you to me."

They chuckled and Ranmaru rubbed his cheek remembering the slap he had 'forgot' to mention, "Is your aim… To hurt him?"

Now that shocked him. He honestly hadn't expected that, "No… No. Well, in a way I guess I am… But not for the reasons you might think. I think that love hurts, no? And in order for him to realize that he really does have to tell her how he's feeling, he'll have to feel what its like to think you might lose her… Really, if he doesn't act, we all might."

He was stuck in a far off gaze, looking into his own little movie of what he hoped would happen, "Your pretty deep for a ladies man," She giggled into her cranberry juice, "A whole new breed of pain for us women…"

o0Kyohei0o

All this should have been expected. I'm such an idiot…

How could I have been shocked? She could have anyone…

She could follow Granny's foot steps and end up with Yuki… Or she could have ended up with Takenaga… What if she does end up with Takenaga…? They'll both be gone to the US soon… What if…

Ugh, I'm being a moron.

Takenaga is too devoted to Noi… That would never, ever happen. Nope. No way. Not a chance in hell.

_'Hadn't you thought the same thing about Ranmaru and Sunako…?' __'Shut up!'_

My God… I'm arguing with myself…

It doesn't matter. It's all gray. Gray with clouds. I'll just wait. Wait and watch for the storms to clear…

o0Sunako0o

I've been avoiding him.

I don't know what it is, but I can't face him… I can't stand seeing him look at me thinking I'm actually falling for a jerk like Ranmaru…

Why does it bother me so much?

Well, maybe…

Maybe I do…

No, I'm thinking crazy. I just feel guilty.

_'For doing what? Me and Kyohei are not and never will be together the way I want to be.'_

Fuck off. Yeah right, like I want to be with him like that…

It's all stormy in my head… The lightning… The rain… The thunder… They all burn so loud and bright and cold I can't stand it. I can't win…

I sit outside my window and let the rain pour down on my head.

I'll have to wait for the storm to clear…

What's that saying?

Amiss showers bring mighty powers…?

o0AUTHOR'S NOTE0o

That's not the saying at all… So far off, Sunako… So far.

(April showers bring May flowers.…)

Whoo! How was it?

I got three reviews so far, but I can't be upset since I had been inactive for so long, I just wish you would review!!!

Hope you liked it, but I'll never know unless you tell me!

Later Days!

NerdSavvy


	7. Episode: Double Date

Disclaimer: I don't own the Wallflower, PGE, Sunako of Many Forms, etc.

Title: Letter Not Erased

Chapter: 7: Episode "Double Date!"

Dedicated to: Cute N Crazy Shanz Thanks for the suggestions!

A/N: This is a bit of a bonus chapter (Hence the "episode" title). It's all about well, dates.

ALSO! I know I've been updating in an irregular fashion, I have a short explanation on my profile, so please read it. Thanks!

o0o

Ranmaru had it all planned out.

Yes, Sunako and Ranmaru were to double date with Takenaga and Noi.

Yes, she did argue that they should get right to the point and go with Sayuri, but he had somehow amazingly talked her into it.

But the angered girl's amethyst eyes were glowing with intensity when her desires were actually met…

Takenaga had come down with a cold, so of course it was up to Kyohei and Sayuri to fill their place while Noi attended to her love and Yuki was out of town with Machiko.

Ranmaru and Sayuri had originally planned to make it a double date behind Kyohei's back, and Sayuri would take him shopping and 'accidentally' pass by.

Then Kyohei would see the scene between Ranmaru and Sunako unfold and become increasingly jealous, claiming his affections for Sunako the way Takenaga had called Noi "his."

Ranmaru chuckled just thinking about how horribly this might fail, but he did like the idea of making Sunako uncomfortable in that way.

Was he a bad person?

"Yes! He is completely evil!"

Don't speak to the narrator, Sunako. It's informal.

Our innocent Sunako knows not of Sayuri and Ranmaru's true plan, but the fact that he and Noi had forced her into a sleek black dress shouting, "Damn that Ranmaru!" while shoving her into a five star French restaurant was enough to make her blood boil as is.

This, and the fact that Sayuri and Kyohei being so comfortable together irritated her. The fact that she was irritated agitated our heroine even further…

o0Kyohei0o

How did Yuri convince me to come to this stupid place?

I don't even want French cuisine, so why am I here?

It isn't like I care what the hell they do together; it's not like I want to be here.

"It's so obvious what you're up to Ranmaru, and it disgusts me." I give him a death glare to match the devils.

"I don't know what you are talking about," But he's completely unfazed. Now I'm getting a little agitated.

"I'm sure you have no clue why nobody in the house is talking to you either."

Maybe I shouldn't have said that, because both girls look up at me, and then at him. They're on his side.

o0o

"Do you want a different kind of appetizer, Kyohei?" Sunako looks up thoughtfully, smiling expectantly.

"What?" Despite the young man's great efforts, he could not stop the rising heat in his cheeks. _'Just don't blush, moron… God, what is she doing to me?' _

"Ranmaru and Sayuri would like to order appetizers with carrots…"

_"You don't like carrots, do you?"… "When she buys carrots, she always makes sure to buy the best ones… She really thinks about the person she is cooking for…" _(1)

"…I know you don't like them," And thus our hero could not stop the flourish of red across his face.

"Uh," he puts his fingers to his temples like he had gained a migraine. Rushing to shield his pink face, "Eh-yeah, whatever you want."

"What? _I can't hear you_…" Everyone's staring intently, but Kyohei knows she is clueless. It's so agitating!

"I said," He groans, biting his lip as he pulls his hand just low enough to uncover his striking eyes, "I'll eat whatever you order…"

Sayuri smirks behind Kyohei's back and Ranmaru chuckles in a most ominous way.

From embarrassment, both of the guinea pigs looked at their laps, forcing the rouge on their cheeks back within them.

"Uhm, yes well… Then I guess I'll choose something." Sunako mumbles, telling Ranmaru a dish she knew Kyohei would love almost as much as her own cooking.

"I think I will go to the ladies' room. Sunako?" Sayuri stood anticipating the young girl's submission. Sunako slowly nodded and stood up, keeping her eyes from running where they surely wanted to be.

"Yes. Excuse us."

Ranmaru was never one to betray a friend; it simply was not his style. So why did he do it?

Why, as soon as the girls were out of earshot, did he attack?

"You know that she is only doing this because I asked her to. Don't you?" Ranmaru flipped his hair and smiled.

"What're you talking about?" Kyohei snorted, slouching in his chair.

"All it took was for me to ask, and she abide. It's simple, Kyohei. Why can't you do something so simple?" He saw Kyohei's nose twitch in annoyance.

"You know nothing. You're just an egoist lusting after another girl-"

"I am." Now that was a shock.

Kyohei's head shot up, surprise running from his eyes like ravens at dusk.

"My object is only to seduce her, of course," Kyohei dug his fingers into his chair, "But that should be no concern of yours." He ground his teeth for restraint, looking away like a dog refusing a fight. "The truth is, I'm getting closer to my goal, and she hasn't even tried to stop me…" _'Shit. That may not have been a good move. Why did I enjoy saying that? Okay, fix it…'_ "And anyway, she isn't happy when you see us, as you can tell…"

Kyohei held there for a moment, teeth clenched like a small boy at a dentist's, hand clutching his pants until his knuckles were white as snow. Then he faltered.

"She doesn't want you to see us together." _'Figure it out, Kyohei. Dammit.'_ "My real point is… Sunako is-"

"I get it." Kyohei locked eyes with Ranmaru, resembling a pit-bull protecting his owner, "Are you trying to make me fight? What are you saying? That you won? I get it. She knows how I feel and she still chooses you. She's upset when I see you two because she's guilty?" Kyohei slammed his palms on the table. "I don't want her pity!"

Both just stared at each other for a moment, Kyohei's long form looming over the table like a possessed shadow.

"Uhm, excuse me. Are you ready to order?" The timid young waitress propped her pen against the page, fearing the handsome boy would shout at her.

Breathing slowly, he began to calm down, looking at all the eyes upon the two rivals. He sat in a huff and looked toward the woman's bathroom.

Then he repeated the hors d'oeuvre Sunako had suggested. Ranmaru ordered the one with carrots.

"You can't ever contain that rage of yours," Ranmaru thought out loud, playing with his salad fork.

"Trust me, you haven't even touched on what it's like to provoke me." Kyohei spat back.

"Hmph… Carrots. You two are so thoughtful… It disgusts me," Ranmaru snapped the metal utensil without effort, and blinked angry eyes onto his friend.

Kyohei's eyes softened.

"Ranmaru," Sayuri growled in a low tone, "What happened to your fork…?"

"What happened to your fork?" Sunako asked, oblivious to the fiery aura emanating from Sayuri.

Ranmaru broke out in a nervous sweat, "I-ah-dropped it."

"Dropped it?"

The Matchmaker had failed, "Yeah, I dropped it."

o0o

"I honestly never thought Ranmaru would do anything like this," Yuki rested his hands in his arms as the three of them lay in the backyard.

The truth of the story is: All of the housemates except Sunako had outcast the famed ladies' man. As sad as it is to say, he was always the closest to getting kicked out of the group. Nobody could trust him alone with the women they cared about. At least, that's what they all thought.

"Well he did. He's proven he really is scum…" Takenaga spat angrily, keeping his body facing the window.

"You're right… But… I can't help but wish it weren't true," Noi put he hand on Takenaga's arm as he crossed and uncrossed his legs.

Both men had agreed and then sat in quiet, everyone thinking on their own for a while.

o0o

Sunako had stayed mute since coming from the bathroom, thinking about what Sayuri had said.

_"It's strange that from all the things I've heard about you, you end up being one of those girls…" Sayuri chuckled as she touched up her make-up._

_"What do you mean?" Sunako narrowed her eyes, getting a bit touchy a bit too soon._

_"Since your basically all I hear about, I feel like I already know you, but now that I've met you, and have had a chance to hang out with you, I have to say…" She threw her cosmetics into her purse roughly, "I'm a little too disappointed."_

_Sunako, of course, had no clue what she was talking about, but what she did know was that she was being insulted. Usually, this would be dealt with by fists, but she knew her boundaries and getting in it with Kyohei's old friend, in a five star restaurant while your date and the boy you like are just outside the door is **not** within her limits._

_"Look, I don't want to offend you, but I know you're competition. And it's getting on my nerves how submissive you are to that Morii guy, acting like an in love school girl, when we all know what you really want… Takano says you are the type to go after what you want, so why are you trying to play these stupid head games?!"_

_Okay, riling Sunako up, definitely a good part in the plan, but involving ones own feelings, especially when the two situations are completely different, not so good…_

_"It's so obvious they want you… Both of them -vying for your attention- and all you do is act like you could care less, and turn away from what you want. You're **hideous**."_

Hideous… Sunako Nakahara hadn't been called anything near that in a very long time. Maybe it had been too long. Maybe she needed to be put back in her place. She was never meant to be a part of these boys lives, and now that she was, was she ruining all the fun she'd had over the years by being selfish and cowardly? Maybe she should step down and let Sayuri have what she wants.

_Plop. Plop…_

Sunako snapped out of her thoughts and looked down at her plate.

"Chocolate…?"

"Yeah… You like chocolate, so…" Kyohei looked down at his hand moving back and forth from his dessert to hers, "Do you like chocolate roses?"

Sunako opened her mouth silently, then smiled. "Yeah. I do… Thanks…"

Then Kyohei laughed, "Why do you look so scared? It's chocolate, not a bomb."

"I'm not scared," Sunako furrowed her brows in a competitive manner, "You're just acting like a gentleman, that's scary!"

Everyone laughed, "Maybe some of Ranmaru's charmed has rubbed off on him," Sayuri suggested.

Kyohei stuck out his tongue in mock disgust, "Never. That thought is something scary…"

The two matchmakers sat back and watched their two friends have fun. They had expected a dramatic confession, but they were happy that their mistakes today didn't make things worse between Sunako and Kyohei.

o0o

It was early morning in the Nakahara mansion, where you could find one Nakahara Sunako and one Takano Kyohei preparing breakfast for her friends downstairs in the kitchen. The small girls daily routine of getting up early to do so was such a known custom that Kyohei had made it a habit to wake up in time to help.

At first he had done it subconsciously, accidentally. He never knew why, but now he knew.

_'I want to spend more and more time with her… I can't help it, I do.'_

"What do you feel like making today?" Sunako asked happily, taking pots and pans out of the cupboard.

"Something familiar," Kyohei smiled, opening the fridge and taking out the usual morning ingredients.

And so the two cooked contently, remarking on each others cooking and joking lightly.

"You've gotten a lot better at cooking from when I first move in here…"

"Thanks to the woman that loves to cook…"

Kyohei checked the rice in the rice cooker before turning it off and Sunako took out six bowls from the cabinet above Kyohei's head. She had him unintentionally pinned against the counter as she tried to get into the corner cupboard. Of course, Kyohei blushed looking at her graceful frame. She didn't even notice him staring at her face until she looked at him. For a second they just looked at each other, just looked and nothing except admire one another's features…

"Sorry…" Sunako moved away quickly.

Kyohei coughed in response, covering her mouth and looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Sunako… Do you want to go somewhere with me today?" She looked at him, her eyes wide and unsettled, but at the same time, appeased, "I wanted to go shopping today, and since it's not safe to go alone… I was hoping you'd… Y'know… Come… With me…"

It was a little while before he could look up at her and see her smiling, "Sure. I wanted to go to the Fright Shop anyway, so…"

"Yeah, cool…"

"Will you grab that bowl over there?"

Kyohei smiled, "Sure."

Maybe things will be all right after all…

o0Author's Note0o

(1) I'm not sure which volume, I think 11, but it's when Kyohei and Sunako go to the market together and a farmer(?) tells him how careful Sunako is when picking carrots. I'm paraphrasing, so forgive me!

Yay! Another chapter up! And happy halloween, people! What were you this year?

Anyway, review!!!!!

And thanks for reading.

LATER DAYS!


	8. Episode: Double Date! Continued

Disclaimer: I don't own the Wallflower, PGE, Sunako of Many Forms, etc.

Title: Letter Not Erased

Chapter: 8: Episode "Double Date!" (Continued)

Dedicated to: Blonde Existentialist

A/N: This is a bit of a bonus chapter (Hence the "episode" title). It's all about well, dates.

KEY:

_'Thoughts'_

_'Conscious'_

Lyrics

**Titles**

**Whispers/Background Voices**

o0o

Sunako looked at herself in the mirror. She would have chuckled thinking that three years ago she might've died knowing these articles of attire were in her room. But in lieu of today's planned events, she was too nervous to laugh.

"Ah, God… This is awful," Sunako mumbled, peeling off her black, lace-accented tunic.

"Too uptight."

Then the long black ruffled skirt was next off the list.

"Too zealous…"

The sexy red shirt.

"Ugh… Why am I so nervous…?"

Sunako sat on her bed with John in her lap. She looked at his face, remembering what Kyohei had said previous the first party she had to attend with her auntie, "Hiroshi-kun… I do not like him. This is not a date. So I don't care what I look like…"

She got up, peeled off the red shirt, and slipped into a white skull and bones fitted tee, with a plaid red skirt, black leggings, a pin-striped (over sized) black blazer and flats…

"… I just have to look nice so other girls won't bother him… That's the only reason he wants me to come anyway."

Meanwhile… Kyohei was giving himself the third degree.

"What are you doing, man…?" He asked his reflection, "She's already shown you that she doesn't like you."

He spun around and flopped onto his bed, "What am I doing…?"

"Well… She did say yes…"

"She said yes…"

He looked at himself in the mirror. He wore his lucky pair of jeans, and his favorite frayed shirt. Good. He didn't look like he was trying too hard.

"So I have to show her a good time…"

o0o

"What's going on today?" Noi glared at Ranmaru across the living room, leaning comfortably onto Takenaga.

"Nothing… Listen, I know you guy's are all mad at me," he looked away, "but I'm the one who should be a little bit upset," Ranmaru mumbled, grabbing his coffee and leaving the room.

"What did he say…?" Takenaga looked at where Ranmaru had been.

"… If I heard him right… I think that we've been very, very wrong…" Yuki uttered lamentably.

o0o

They agreed to meet at a nearby café and walk from there. So as everyone loitered around the common area, Kyohei passed by and said he was going out to the video store (which was odd since he had been on bad terms after they had fired him and Sunako). Quizzical looks all around.

Ten minutes later Sunako tore her eyes from her latest homicide novel and announced that she was going to the market for some missing ingredients for dinner. Now, this was normal, but still. Two minutes after Sunako left the house, all three felt they had right to investigate.

They followed Sunako to the corner café. She was running up to Kyohei who was waiting expectantly at an outside table for two.

**"Now, if they're supposed to be sneaking around, it isn't exactly the smartest thing in the world to eat here… And in plain sight!"** Takenaga hissed.

Noi chuckled, **"This just makes it too easy!"**

"Thanks for ah… Coming…" Kyohei said awkwardly.

"It's no big deal, I mean… I don't mind it…" Sunako laughed, taking a sip of her café-au-lait.

A short silence as they dipped at their biscuits in their coffee.

"You look nice…"

"… Yeah, well… All of my jeans were in the wash…"

Kyohei laughed. Maybe this wouldn't be so awkward if he just acted normal. But Sunako was really the happy one. She washed his clothes everyday, she knew that he was wearing his favorite items. But why did that make her happy?

The three eavesdroppers narrowed their eyes, **"This date… Somehow seems too cute… To be Kyohei and Sunako…"**

o0o

"So where do you want to go next?" Kyohei asked after they had left the video store with a nice (not too graphic) horror movie.

"Well, you had something to do, didn't you?" Sunako asked lightly.

"Nah, I can put it off. Let's do something more fun." Kyohei smiled at her warmly, lifting his eyebrows in inquiry.

Sunako smirked, grabbing his shoulder, "Alright, but remember, you asked me."

**"Is it just me, or is Kyohei's arm glowing where Sunako is pulling him…?"**

**The Fright Shop**

**"Are you sure? He really asked her on a date?"** Sayuri whispered as Ranmaru pulled her into the Fright Shop.

**"Yes, and I know they'll be coming here, so let's just wait here and hide out." **Ranmaru responded quickly.

As soon as he opened the door he saw Sunako and Kyohei playing with a squishy organ doll.

"Ranma-" He turned and pulled a hand over her mouth, pushing her into a clothes rack.

"**Shhh…"** Ranmaru uncovered her mouth, pressing her against the wall, **"they might have seen us…"**

Sayuri clutched at his shirt in instinct, making Ranmaru shoot her a shocked glance, **"sorry…"** she mumbled feebly, turning away fast enough to miss his blushing face.

Neither Sunako nor Kyohei saw the two agents, but Yuki did…

They all stopped when they heard Sunako giggle.

**"She _giggles_…? I never, ever thought that was possible…" **Takenaga uttered in shear disbelief.

The two men who owned the shop stood behind the counter smiling at the two lovebirds leisurely.

"No, Sunako. There's no way I'm putting that on," Kyohei stated flatly.

Sunako pouted and looked at the Jack Skellington costume in her hands… It even had a volley-ball sized mask to match, "But Halloween's coming up, and why not? Bone Daddy's cool."

Kyohei rolled his eyes… Then smiled, "Alright."

Sunako perked up.

"Yeah, I'll make a fool of myself, I'll even walk out with it, but first you have to try on **this**!" Kyohei grinned evilly, shoving the "Super Sexy Sailor Scout" costume in her face.

The two workers whistled (ignored by all).

"Hell no!" Sunako punched him in the jaw- hard.

"Let's make a bet." Kyohei laughed and rubbed his chin, "I bet that you can't last in this thing for more than an hour in public."

Sunako scoffed, "Fine. I bet you couldn't last ten minutes in public!"

"Big time difference," Kyohei stated shaking on it.

"You underestimate my will power," Sunako smiled triumphantly, "If I win, you buy me the limited edition Gruesome Twosome life-size dolls."

"Deal."

"Wait. What do you want?"

Kyohei smirked slightly, "I'll think about it while we try these on."

**"Did that really just happen?"** Sayuri uttered in disbelief.

In another section of the store, the other three meddler's mouths had dropped permanently to the floor.

**"I can't believe Kyohei…"** Takenaga babbled.

**"Sunako actually…"** Noi mumbled.

**"Up until now I had almost forgot that Kyohei was like a normal guy (with perversion and all)"** Yuki blabbed.

But then they all smirked and looked at one another, **"They're testing each other." **

A little while later, you could hear Kyohei shouting over the changing room, "Okay, on the count of three…"

They both counted down.

"One"

"Two"

"Three!"

Kyohei looked absolutely ridiculous… It was like… The Gay version of Nightmare Before Christmas… On Ice.

The two workers drooled over Sunako. The shirt ended a good inch below her boobs, and the bow was designed in such a way that it bounced every time she moved… And the little green skirt was low cut and very short, and then a very very long way down were her hooker heels. The whole thing was basically screaming "rape me!" in Kyohei's opinion. Kyohei's mouth fell open at Sunako's embarrassed stature, tugging at the hem, "It's so damn short…"

And the boy's sprayed blood everywhere.

Then Sunako looked up and burst out laughing. And it seemed to echo throughout the shop, considering no one knew that everyone else was there, cackling at Kyohei's expense.

"Oh my God! Oh my GOD!" She was rolling, "I can't breathe."

Kyohei twitched, "It's not that funny."

"No, it really is…" after a few minutes, everyone calmed down, Sunako wiped a tear, "sorry, but I'm totally gonna win this bet."

Kyohei looked Sunako up and down and turned his red face away, "You're right."

"I know I am."

"No. The bet's off. I give."

Sunako stopped smiling all together, "Giving up so easily…?"

"Yeah. Now go change and I'll buy you that set."

"Wait, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or anything… C'mon, it's not that bad. The game is half the fun of winning-"

"I said no. Now let's just… Go change and-" he started to walk into the changing room.

"No."

"What?" Kyohei whipped his head around, "I'll still buy the dolls."

Sunako looked a little flushed. They had been having fun. What went wrong? She didn't get it, "I don't want them anymore," she turned her back, "Let's just go…"

Kyohei looked at the curtain of her changing room, "Fine…"

_'I just didn't want anyone else to see you dressed like that… Stupid… First I get perverted, then I get jealous… I'm so screwed up.' _

**"That"**

**"Did" **

**"Not"**

**"Go"**

**"Well…"**

o0o

Sunako and Kyohei stopped for ice cream on the way back. Hers was chocolate, his was strawberry.

They walked through the park, then took a boat ride on the lake, completely oblivious to the five characters in black crowded onto one boat.

**"Look mommy! It's the men in Black!"** and the little boy in another boat kept trying to touch them…

"Sorry for wrecking today…"

"…What?"

"I wanted us to have fun today," Kyohei stopped to look her in the eyes, "The video store was an excuse."

Sunako's cheeks flushed, and she just stared at him. Kyohei bit his lip and lowered his face.

**"Hey! Toshii sit down!"**

"Sunako… Do you want to know what I would've wanted if I won the bet?" Kyohei clenched his fists around the oars.

**"Holy shit… He's gonna tell her!"**

**"Shh! They'll hear!"**

**"Men in Black!"**

**"Quiet kid, this is a precious moment."**

"I would've wanted--"

SPLASH!

SPLASH!

Kyohei looked up, only to find Sunako and a little boy struggling in the water. It was only instinct to jump in after her. It's simply what a good person does.

… He would have done so for any stranger…

Now, it was only odd that even after the boy was safe with his mother- and they were sitting inside the boat rental shop drying off- he still held her…

She honestly couldn't understand it… Why she liked it so much.

But Kyohei knew.

He knew and it was killing him.

He'd tried so many times. It simply wasn't meant.

God was even telling him. Strange kids hopping in water and perverted horror shop owners and thugs ruining dinner and rabid fangirls destroying groceries…

((The last two are from their date in a later volume and the time they went shopping together and he found out about Sunako and the carrot thing))

**"Aw! This is so sweet!" **The quintuplet Men in Black sang through their twinkling tears.

"Sunako… If I had won the bet, I'd tell you to do whatever you want and be happy with Ranmaru…"

He didn't see the Men in Black's jaws drop to the floor.

So he certainly didn't see Sunako bite her lip and leek a silent tear underneath her towel…

She cleared her throat thinking, _'If that's what you want, then…' _

"… I will…"

o0Author's Note0o

How you like them apples?

Ah I don't know. Anyway, I've created a challenge, for those who don't know (aka for those I haven't annoyed the hell out of). So check out my profile and maybe talk to me on my forum for more info if you're interested!!

R&R and…

LATER DAYS!


	9. Numb

Disclaimer: I don't own the Wallflower, PGE, Sunako of Many Forms, etc. I don't own the song Numb, it's by Sia.

Title: Letter Not Erased

Chapter: 9: Numb

Dedicated to: naash!!!

Key:

_Thoughts_

_"Background voices/noises"_

**Conscience**

Lyrics

A/N: Sorry, but I don't know when the school year starts and ends in Japan, so I made it the same as in the US… Eh, sorry! Also, I suggest listening to Numb by Sia while you read the last part, it's like a movie soundtrack and I love it!

o0o

_"Ran-chan!"_ Sunako sang happily, she knew he hated it, and in front of everyone else, it was her only means of revenge on how lovey-dovey he made her act. It was sort of like taking her anger away from Kyohei and onto Ranmaru. Because she was doing what he wanted. She was doing what _he_ told her to...

_"Darling!"_ He twitched in response.

Takenaga eyed Kyohei closely, "You're angry," he whispered.

_"Sugar lips!"_

"No. What. Makes. You. Say. That?" He pushed through gritted teeth.

_"Sun-chan, my angel!"_

"Well, the vein sticking out of your head is a small clue…"

_"My baby-cakes!" _Now, it was just getting ridiculous...

"And your brow's are doing that furrowing thing…"

_"Sweet honey!"_

Kyohei used two fingers to both push in the vein and straighten his brows, "Don't you three have anything better to do? … Something that doesn't involve getting on my nerves?"

_"I __**love**__ you..."_

"Don't you have anything better to do that doesn't involve sulking over," Noi nodded her head at Ranmaru and Sunako, "Ugh… That?"

_"Oh, I __**love**__ you oh so very much..."_

"I'm not sulking," he pouted, took his manga and left the room.

Again, they let him go. This Kyohei was one they hadn't dealt with before.

_"S-sexalicious!"_

"You know, it looks like those two are actually having a battle of the nick names," Takenaga peered over his glasses.

_"Yummy little---"_

"What do you mean?" Noi furrowed her brows in an Award winning imitation of Kyohei.

"I think he's referring to the squint in Sunako-chan's eyes and the twitch in the right corner of Ranmaru's upper lip. It perhaps implies that they aren't enjoying each other's company as much as they let on." Yuki stated matter-of-factly.

Takenaga frowned, "Don't you have some Sherlock Holmes episode to be in?"

o0Takano0o

I'm just having an off day, is all. It's that goddamn new song everyone's playing… _everywhere._

Girls have it on their iPods, always singing it. It's in movie soundtracks, in commercials, on the radio. I really can't stand this song.

See, I'm just trying to watch TV and already here's that damn song…

I saw you cry today

The pain may fill you

I look like a punk, don't I?

It's not that I don't want to try. I really do, but it's like everything tells me I shouldn't. She used to be the one who always said I shouldn't, so how can I say whether things can change that drastically. It's been a whole week and still, she acts completely happy… Without me.

And that- it makes me think:

Whoever said I made her happy at all? I mean, she always says that I'm the last person she would ever want to be with.

So what do I care, anyway? I told her I wanted her to be with Ranmaru.

I can't stand women. Honestly, Nakahara is just a nuisance. I should thank Ranmaru for taking care of her so I won't have to anymore…

I saw you shy away

The pain will not kill you…

o0o

A month had passed and summer's end was drawing near. Like a mosquito and a bug zapper. Summer cannot resist the beauty of cascading autumn leaves. She reluctantly and happily zooms toward Fall who briskly blights the Summer away. This summer will die and begin anew next year.

Takenaga and Sunako had been accepted to colleges in the State's. Ranmaru was taking on his father's business as soon as the Summer ended. Yuki, Kyohei, and Noi were all somehow miraculously accepted to the same top rank college of Japan. So everyone was going somewhere… But this was farthest from their minds. All that mattered was here and now. If they were happy now, then what happened next wouldn't matter.

That's what they said. That's what they promised.

"Ranmaru, I'm tired of playing this game… I know that Sayuri visits us pretty much every day… But I'm sick of it, I mean… If she hasn't caught on now, what makes you think she's even interested at all? I'm sor-"

"I know, I know… But what can I say? What else can I do?"

"Why not just **tell** her how you feel?" Sunako smiled sincerely.

Ranmaru snorted, "Your one to talk…"

Sunako's eyes darkened, "What was that?"

He was, of course, afraid of her... Yet he stood his ground, for his friend. For Sunako.

Sunako stared angrily at Ranmaru's concerned face, her brows furrowed until she faltered, "The truth is... The truth is that Kyohei wants me to be... With you, but I... I..."

Without hesitation, the young man hugged her, "Sunako, I know that Kyohei may say those things, but trust me... It's not like that, Sunako. He..." Ranmaru looked at her face, "Don't cry, Sunako. Don't--"

She punched him in the gut, "Who said I was going to cry, Stupid!"

Then she smiled, and grabbed his hand as they walked in the garden.

"Thanks Ranmaru... I'm just going to be strong, and I'll sort out my feelings..."

To them, this was innocent. They were finally really close friends and they were a comfort to each other. But to a very ticked off bystander, this looked like something else entirely...

o0Takenaga0o

I already know about Ranmaru and Sayuri-san's plan. I know I may not be the quickest when it comes to romantic affairs… But you can at least give me a little credit. I am going to Yale.

"I think we should tell him," Yuki pounds his fist on the table to accentuate his opinion.

Okay, so Yuki is the one who actually told me the whole plan… But I did know there was something going on.

"Stop pouting. I know," I said, massaging the knots in the back of my neck, "But I just think-"

"We know what you think," Noi smiled reassuringly, "But I'm going to have to agree with Yuki. It's been a month and Kyohei still hasn't taken the bait."

"What more can we do? I mean, your flight leaves tomorrow…"

Noi lowered her face a bit. I could see in her eyes how sad and torn she was about my leaving. It killed me to be the cause of it.

"Noi…"

Her head snaps up and she's smiling, "Does this mean we'll tell him?"

I'll give her points for her strength, I'm barely holding up at all.

Yuki and Noi look at me intently, wide smiles and big eyes all the way.

"Yes. We'll tell him tonight."

o0o

"Sayuri, this won't work for long… Sunako's bound to figure it out and Kyohei isn't going to make a move."

"Just give him a little more time! I know Takano, he's slow to the punch, but he'll realize before it's too late, I know he will," Sayuri frowned with her eyes, but her lips were smiling and she gave a small push on his shoulder for more stability in her statement, "Trust me."

"Alright, I trust you… But think about it. Isn't it better to be safe rather than sorry? Imagine what it would be like to never have your feelings known? This is his last chance."

o0o

'_I was a fool to try and convince myself otherwise…'_

Kyohei sat quietly on his bed, playing the radio just low enough for him to hear it.

'_That damned song is __**following**__ me.'_

"Sunako…" He threw the ball against the wall softly, letting it bounce back into his hands, "Sunako… I… I love you…"

He threw the ball.

Bounce. Catch. Toss.

Bounce. Catch. Toss.

Bounce. Catch…

"Why am I so afraid to tell her?"

There was a knock on his door; it was soft. So soft he could almost feel the uncertainty in the knocker's mind.

"Kyohei? It's Sayuri… Can I come in?"

"Sure," He sat up straight, "What are you doing here?"

"I came for tea with Noi and Sunako," She lied innocently, "Anyway, I came up here… To talk to you about us."

Kyohei quirked a brow, "… Us?"

"Well, I've been thinking. With your friends gone, you would get lonely and-"

"Stop it, Yuri," Kyohei gave her a stern glare, tightening his grip on the ball, "I'm not-"

"Why not? It's not like we can't do anything," she urged him with a tender touch and wicked smile.

"I don't want to." He said it like it was a fact. Well, it was…

"Why not? I mean, it's not like there's anything stopping you…"

He looked away in silence, dropping his head to shield his eyes.

"… Or anyone."

He looked up at her sharply, "What-"

"Is it Takenaga?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Kyohei snapped.

"Yuki?"

"You're sick," Kyohei chuckled.

"Is it Sunako?" He was quiet. His smile fled like civilians in a war zone. "It is, isn't it?" She smiled intently.

Again, he was quiet. Like a small boy being reprimanded, he simply looked at the ball in his hand.

"Why don't you just tell her?"

He shook his head and laughed forcibly, "It's not as easy as all that. You don't get it…"

'_Actually, I do…'_ Sayuri cocked her head to the side, "Well, would it be easier if I told you she was with Ranmaru because of you…?"

"I'd tell you I think you've gone ape shit," Kyohei said, throwing the ball against the wall again.

"Well it's true! I overheard them talking!" Sayuri gripped his arm and looked him in the eyes, "She wants to make you jealous… Think about it, why has she never kissed him?"

"She has… Once. I walked in on them."

Sayuri looked shocked. Or was she hurt…? "Well, it was only one time…" Was she trying to convince him or herself?

"How can I take your word for it?"

"Well, you can't really… But isn't she worth a shot? I mean, why not risk it? After all, she's not like other girls…"

"No…" He laughed a heavy laugh, "That's a definite."

It got quiet again, and all they could hear was the calming sounds on the radio.

You made me smile today.

You spoke with the new voices.

We've traveled miles today,

Shared expressions, voices…

-Kyohei-

It has to end

So maybe she doesn't like Ranmaru… Maybe she does like me. I'm actually really relieved. It's not a definite, but it's worth a shot. Like Yuri said, she's worth a shot.

So I've got her Godiva chocolate and I'm all ready to come out and tell her when Takenaga and Yuki pop out of the bushes, dressed just like the Men In Black, and they take me to an interrogation room… I'm thinking what the hell's wrong now? Then Noi steps out and she smiles sinisterly as they strap me in a chair.

"How do you feel about Sunako?" I'm actually blown away by the question, I mean I'm already walking on air, about to confess and they come to steal my thunder.

"What the hell's going on?! Get me out of this chair! I've got something to do!" I shout at them, I am not going to give in that easily. This is so annoying, and I can hear that freaking song again!

"Listen!" A stern voice paralyzes me. Like a father's sort of tone.

I turn, "Takenaga…?"

So I sit quietly and wait, I gotta listen to what he says now.

"Love is important to have…" Okay, weird start, "But the most important thing… Is letting them know how you feel. It took me two years to figure that out, and I'm lucky, because I found out just in time… But Kyohei, this is your last chance. If you don't tell her, you'd be missing out on the best part of your life. Missing out on heaven… Or hell since you both seem to like darkness and gore… Mm… My point is, even though Ranmaru and Sayuri tricked Sunako into all this to make you jealous, you should still tell her."

Living in your head,

Yuki nodded and leaned in on the arm of my chair, "Yeah, so what if Sunako **has no idea**, isn't that even more romantic?"

Without anything to numb you.

What did I just hear?

"But… Yuri told me… That Sunako wanted me to get jealous…"

"Well, she probably did," Noi piped up, but her voice was a little uncertain, "I mean, it's true… Why else would she not hook up with any guys?"

Shit. I'm gonna lose it, "She 'hooked up' with **Ranmaru**." I say it a little angrier than I mean to… But damn, they can be dense.

Living on the edge,

"Well, yeah, but-"

"So she doesn't… She's… Happy…"

Images of her smiling face pop into my head, the frown that always appears on her face as soon as she and Ranmaru see me…

They were holding hands, walking through the garden not too long ago. It may have started out as a game, but what if it had evolved to actual love while I stood from the sidelines watching, _encouraging!_

I scoff, "I've been a fool… Yuri and Ranmaru…" I pause. I drown it out, I move on. All the women I've ever met have caused me pain, so this shouldn't be any different. "We gotta go, the flight leaves in two hours."

"Kyohei-"

"Just get me out of here…"

Without anything to numb you…

o0Sunako0o

It has to end, turn back and

I'm so sick of this… I know now, I'm sure of it… I don't care that Kyohei… That he doesn't want to be with me, to fight for me because I do…

Ugh, I can't even say it in my head!

I, Sunako Nakahara… L–O–V–E… Kyohei Takano…

Okay, before I leave, I'll tell him… Even if I do have to spell it out…

Okay, I'll write a letter just in case… Just in case I can't say it…

Begin an end today,

It's almost time to leave by the time I finish my twenty-fourth attempt… Okay, this will have to do. Oh God, he'll look back at this letter and laugh, won't he? At least now, when Noi moves into the mansion as well, they can use this as proof of how much of a lady I've become, falling for a bishounen… Ha, I'm a sap, aren't I?

It's this stupid song… It's making me crazy.

Gave and God given.

Yeah, completely pathetic.

I look at my empty room, my plain bed… Good-bye John…

We get in the car and I'm determined. I'm definitely not sitting next to Ranmaru. No, hell no. I have to be near Kyohei.

-----

**I'm depressed.**

Yuki and Kyohei are in the very back, Noi and Takenaga in the middle… Ranmaru and I are in the very front. I'm a failure!

Not to mention, Noi turned on the radio, and guess what's playing…

You made a friend today,

I look at us all for a moment, and I actually feel like someone had just taken Hiroshi-kun and snapped him in half… These are my only true friends… And now we're all breaking up… I look into my lap as I think about this, and as I look up, a single tear leaks down my left cheek… A total sap.

Kindred soul, cracked spirit.

Noi and Takenaga are leaning on each other, with their fingers loped together.

Like a symbol of their strong love... It won't be broken.

God, I've lost it…

Let me just look out the window… Forget. I have to calm down and just wait until we're at the airport and it's time to say good-bye… Then, I'll look up at him and I'll just say it, I'll tell him I… I lo… Lo-

Stop.

I can say it. I can, just at the right time… At the right time, I'll say it. I'll tell him…

... Why does this hurt so much?

o0o

"How can you just give up?" Yuki mumbled under his breath.

Kyohei furrowed his brows, looking ahead so he did not have face his perceptive little friend.

He watched Noi and Takenaga leaning on each other, breathing slowly and sadly. Their feelings were too poignant. He could see Sunako in the rearview mirror.

_'She's beautiful…'_ He watched Sunako look into her lap. Her hair Swept around her as she looked up and out the window, a single tear rolling down her cheek…

_'So she didn't want to leave, either…'_

"Yuki…"

"Or is it that you can't give up your security?" Yuki stared at Kyohei's profile, "Kyohei, why can't you just try harder? Be the man your always telling others to be."

"It's more complicated than that…"

"…" Yuki was silent for only a moment, "No. It isn't."

o0Noi0o

Damn, that song is so catchy. It's playing in my head as I look at everyone… Somehow I can't help but think it's like our situation right now.

It has to end, turn back in.

Everyone is getting ready to say our farewells, and already I'm in tears. I can't help it, I love Takenaga so much, it hurts. But I love it. He's worth the pain. We'll get through this I know we will. We have to.

Living in your head,

I say good-bye to Sunako first and Kyohei says bye to Takenaga. I look her in the eyes and we smile pouty smiles. We let out a small sigh, we sniff away our tears and we hug.

"Stay strong, my dear Sunako," I tell her as we hug.

She pauses, "Don't forget to write me… Maybe send me some strawberries…"

We laugh. I can tell that even if she won't admit it, she's going to miss us just as much as we miss her… When she forces that final laugh, I can tell that she's hurting for Kyohei the way I am for Takenaga… "You really do love him, don't you?" I can't believe I said it out loud, but I did… And you know what? I'm glad.

Without anything to numb you…

She's still shocked as she hugs Ranmaru good-bye, "I love you, Sunako," he says it in honesty. Like a brother and sister, if slightly less orthodox, "Take care, okay?"

"I will."

She says she will.

While Yuki says good-bye to Sunako and Ranmaru says his good-bye to Takenaga, I pull Kyohei aside.

I smile at him, "Kyohei, this is your last chance to really make an impact. This is a small door open to you, and once it closes, it's closed. Kyohei, there's no opening it again! It's like the 24-hour friend rule... So do it"

Then I hand him a gift, for her... It's a simple Tim Burton figurine, but it'll do for now. Kyohei looks at me, scared. He's scared. But I simply quirk my eyebrows upward and say, "Do it."

Yuki comes and hands her a small basket, "Machiko and I made this for you. They're a collection of your favorite chocolates and snacks,"

"Thank you," she utters it almost too low to hear over all the voices… She's going to cry.

Slowly, Yuki finishes his adieu with Takenaga and it's my turn.

I walk up to him, looking at the ground, I haven't wiped my eyes, I look up at him and show him exactly how I feel.

"I'm going to miss you so much," I manage to choke it out before he pulls me into a tight hug.

"My first break is called winter break, it's three weeks long. I'll see you in January," he smiles at me reassuringly and we kiss, of course.

Sunako says good-bye to her three close friends from school. They're very sweet girls, each with a little skull or pumpkin man in their hands for Sunako… It reminds me to thank God none of the girls from school knew about Takenaga leaving.

Finally, it's just Kyohei and Sunako who haven't yet voiced their partings.

Kyohei walks up to her, a little less anxious than when he was with me, "Look, uh…"

Sunako looked up at him in a pout. In a very cute and determined pout she pushes herself to him and wraps her arms around his waist. Slowly, like he were recovering from narcosis, he lifted his arms and he hugged her. Slowly, carefully. Like they had to do this just right, like it was rehearsed, like they needed to remember it perfectly…

Living on the edge,

Then she pulled away and looked up with determination, "I…" Her mouth opened and closed like a fish.

"Sunako…" He was lost for words.

"I…"

_"You really do love him…"_

Oh God, she can't say it. She looks down in defeat, she knew this was her last chance. After today, she'd go to America and wouldn't be back until she graduated with a Bachelors… Four years… They couldn't just not try…

Without anything to numb you…

"Sunako," His voice was strong. For about a second, he was sure, but then she looked up and he crumbled once more. It was so much like the first time Takenaga tried to tell me how he felt. They both looked annoyed with themselves.

We were all watching so intently, I'm pretty sure they both knew it.

Kyohei looked at us from the corner of his eye and he sighed, holding her hands as she clenched his shirt, "I-"

"Flight 34 set for take off in two minutes."

Damn! Now they've both been fazed. We're all so quiet.

This is like the queasiest roller-coaster ride ever.

"We better get going," Sunako said feebly. She picked up her bags and turned to Takenaga.

We all look at Kyohei sternly, and his jaw clenches. They start to head for their flight.

They go through security and we see them through the glass wall.

It had to end,

He looks at the Jack Skellington in his hand… Go for it, Kyohei. Risk it…

Turn back and

"Sunako wait!"

He runs towards her, dramatically dodging the guards, and she simply turns and lets him hug her once more. When I see her face for that split second, I'm shocked… She's crying… Crying long wet streaks down her face.

"Douzo yoroshiku," She takes a breath, but she can't look him in the eye. She doesn't even give him time to respond. She pats his coat's breast pocket, and then she runs through the path toward the plane.

She leaves Kyohei too stunned to even function.

We all look at each other and nod.

"WE LOVE YOU BOTH!"

We're all laughing in our tears… But Kyohei hadn't said it with us and thus, he couldn't have laughed if he wanted to…

They look back once more, sad…

When Kyohei can't see her anymore, he blinks… And I won't ever admit it again, but I saw tears in his eyes, I saw pain on his face.

He looks down at his hands, looking at the little skullman with everything he wanted to tell her.

We all put a hand on his shoulder and everyone sighs in unison.

"You tried, man," Ranmaru says in almost a whisper…

"Not hard enough…"

It has begun…

o0Author's Note0o

THE END

Just kidding. Did you like it? I liked it. Sorry for the bad comedy, I just look back at how intense and dramatic I make it, and sometimes I feel like I need a little light-heartedness in it. So please tell me what you think!!!!!


	10. TwentyFour Hours

10. Twenty-Four Hours

Disclaimer: I do not own the Wallflower or the characters in this story. I do not own the book referenced, _The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green_ by Joshua Braff (Good book, you should read it) Oh! Well, except Sayuri.

Title: Letters

Chapter: Ten: 24 Hours

A/N: Sorry, hiatus camped out on my couch and pulled a 'You, Me and Dupree.'

Key: o0[Kyohei's Countdown0o - _Remember it's the countdown to how long he has to tell her._

A/N: Don't worry. There will be no suicide or deaths in this story, I promise!

o0[23:30:530o

_'I can't believe it... She was right here, and now... What the hell am I so afraid of?'_

Of course, the entire ride home was overly joyous due to Noi and Yuki's extreme efforts of trying to compensate for their missing friends. Due to the fact that Kyohei was too depressed to make them shut up, there was no one close to Sunako telling them off. Due to the fact that the dark cloud around the ladder's head was making Ranmaru uncomfortable, there was no one who could make the two brunette's feel comforted. Without Takenaga and Sunako, the drive home ended with suicide flashing through their pretty little heads.

Ranmaru was busy setting up for his new life at his family's business; and a permanent residence at their best hotel's rooftop suite. Noi and Yuki spent their time helping him pack.

Kyohei mostly tried ignoring everyone, trying to calculate what things would be like for the next four years. Sadly, he knew she'd be spending all of her holidays with her parent's in Africa. It had been that way since she had become more confident, three years ago. Why did he think it would be different? Why did he hope so much? He'd screwed up, right?

_'How am I going to go on like this?'_

o0[12:58:070o

The plane ride was nice and comfortable. She basically slept the entire time. Takenaga read and practiced his English. It was just some nice, quiet peace...

But as Sunako slept, she dreamt. As Takenaga read, he kept anticipating someone playfully distracting him...

She kept dreaming of things that she loved, and oh, they were not about corpses or famous murderers. He kept reading the same line over and over, _"he loves you a lot, J..." "He loves you a lot..." "He loves you..."_

Nobody came to bother him, They were on a first class, twelve-hour flight headed for Connecticut. Oh, joy.

Exasperated, he dropped the damn book and asked the stewardess for a bloody mary. Sighing, he looked around. It was spacious and decorated in the style of a very comfortable and clean bathroom- white. Most of the people were pot-bellied American's, probably high-up partners and presidents. The lighting was dim, so that people like Sunako could sleep, but there were bedside lamps. The younger passengers were on their laptops doing business... It was so boring he could shoot himself.

Sighing, he tossed the book into Sunako's bag on the floor. He didn't even know where the thing came from, but it sure as hell did a lousy job of distracting him...

He looked at Sunako in hopes that she might wake up and talk to him.

What was she dreaming about?

He saw her brow crinkle in frustration...

_'I guess she's having as much trouble as me...' _

o0[21:56:240o

They had been avoiding it, but they knew they had to face their fears.

They had to go into **their** rooms with them no longer living in them. They had to face another blow towards their broken ties.

Noi and Yuki tightened their faces, holding hands as they entered Takenaga's room.

Timidly, she turned on the light switch. Together they walked towards the center of the area, looking at everything, reminiscing on the many moments they had with him. And yes, they were being very sentimental, and very quiet. Let me remind you that 1/3 of their family had just flown half-way across the world. Though they promised themselves they'd be strong, they couldn't help but crumble right there.

Noi scrunched up her face as she fought away tears while Yuki tried his hardest to keep her optimistic. He took hold of her wrists and peered down at her face with a little boy's smile, and chirped, "'ShanksGibingu' will be here before you know it!"

Noi slowly smiled, inwardly thanking her friend for being so sweet, "You're right, Yuki!"

He smiled in response, and they both decided to sit on his bed, "I wonder how Kyohei's handling it?"

Without skipping a beat, Yuki was the shoulder Noi had to cry on.

o0[19:53:430o

"..."

Life has gotten really boring...

Kyohei was in the kitchen making dinner for everyone- fried shrimp of course. It seemed to him that she had taught him how to cook for the sole purpose of leaving him...

He stared at the saucepan as the batter bronzed.

"... At least I can still eat shrimp..." He took out that batch, and started to put everything on the table.

He looked around the room, and down at the landlady's apron that had started to look so good on Sunako...

"... Damn..." He tugged at the front, seeing her again, with her low ponytail hanging over her shoulder, chuckling as she chopped off fish heads, "... I really... Miss her..."

"Then why don't you get her back?" A bit shocked, Kyohei spun to look at the doorway.

There stood Ranmaru, Noi and Yuki, all smiling with encouraging expressions.

"Remember what I told you? Twenty-four hours. That's all you get. Five hours are already gone! Before you know it, she'll be thinking way too far into it, and she won't have the strength to try!" Noi's expression held something of worry and hysteria.

Kyohei flushed from embarrassment, "But!" He sighed, frustrated. They were right. "God! I'll look so stupid if I just go to her now! It hasn't even been a day!"

"We haven't spent a day without Sunako for three years! Now you're saying you can stand being without her for four?!"

"That's 1,460 days!" Noi doesn't skip a beat.

"Before you know it, she could get snatched up by some foreigner!" Yuki yelled.

"Yes! And then what? You didn't think she could've been with me, I bet?" Ranmaru slides in.

"Argh! What does it matter?! She'll probably end up with Takenaga for all I know!" Kyohei screams one of his worst fears out loud, "They'll be living together! Alone! Two smart, gorgeous people, best friends! He's my best friend-"

SlaAp!

"Idiot." Noi looked him dead in the eye, "If you're going to worry that much, go get her!"

Before anyone could respond, she stormed out of the room.

The two boys glared at Kyohei, "Now look! You've gone and made Noi worry! You know how sensitive she is!" Yuki reprimanded. Then followed after Noi in a huff.

"What? Did you want to bring her down with you?" Ranmaru finally takes out something he had been holding the entire time, the reason he had come down to the dining room. He placed it on the table, close to the shrimp, and then left the room.

After a few minutes, Kyohei blinked, and set his gaze upon the item. And I don't know if _shocked_ is enough of an adjective...

He mentally flipped the fuck out...

Because there, looking back at him, was John the Skull. _The_ John the Skull. Sunako's John the Skull.

Had she forgotten it? Why had Ranmaru given it to him?

Slowly, as if it were an apparition, he approached the treasured object.

His fingers reached for it. It really was there.

_"How cool... I want this..." _

_"I'm sorry about hitting you..."_

_"I don't know how great this guy was, but you can't let one guy ruin your life."_

_"He's not... The only guy out there..." _

He turned the skull in his fingers, huffing happily, "When I'd said that, I didn't think there was a chance in hell that you would be as great as you are now..."

He looked in the back... There, at the bottom of John's cranium, was a smal engraving.

To the Creature of the Light

That changed my life

Thank you

"... But I remember wishing it..."

o0[11:56:460o

Sunako entered her new home. All of their things had already arrived and they decided to wait for the movers to come set everything up. After all, they were very tired.

They decided half-heartedly on getting to know the neighborhood.

It was nice... Quite, though...

After another half hour passed, their conversation had dwindled back into the past.

At first they were laughing about it, but then they quieted again.

"... I wrote him a letter." Sunako looked far off as they walked along the sidewalk.

"What?" He didn't really understand what she meant, he knew it pertained to Kyohei, but had no idea what she was talking about.

"I couldn't say it, after all... I was too scared to say it again, and get rejected, so I... I wrote it. I don't know if it's any good. But I'm scared he's reading it now, and laughing or something... Takenaga, I told him..."

Oh God, what was a romantically dense friend to do?

"I told him that I love him."

o0[17:36:140o

So it took a little bit, but finally everyone had calmed down, and were amped about Kyohei's plan to win Sunako over.

"Okay, so it's a twelve hour flight to get to the States, not to mention waiting for everyone to board..." Ranmaru started listing and factoring in how much time they had, and how much everything would take up.

"Yes, and not to mention, how will you find her? You're gonna have to explain everything to the Landlady, and get the address..." Noi fussed, writing down how she wanted the romantic scenario to go. She had tried this before,, and it _had_ ended up with Kyohei kissing Sunako, but still, she had never gotten him to confess!

"Noi!" Kyohei slammed a fist to the wall, blatantly frustrated enough, "Didn't Takenaga give it to you?!"

Noi sweat a bit, caving under the extreme wrath of Kyohei, "W-well, he wanted to wait until I saw him again so that he could give me proper directions when he knew his way around and-"

"Fine! I'll talk to the Landlady!"

"Oh! And you'll need to give her a present, and some chocolates, too," Noi scribbled this down excitedly.

"Why the hell do I need all that?" This trio was going to give him a heart attack...

"Well, to make up for all this worrying she's gone through! Right now her heart is breaking Kyohei, and you've just got to---"

Thankfully, before Noi could get into full-blown-Shoujo-rant mode, Yuki interjected with the most important fact yet, "Guys!"

Everyone stopped and looked at him.

"Shouldn't we be focusing most on what Kyohei is going to _say_ to Sunako?"

Silence came in - he was headed for the kitchen to get some orange juice.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Satisfied, he left the four to continue their conversation. '_Ah, I do love Florida Orange...' _

"Yuki, he... He sets a good point..."

"Also, we're crunched for time, so how about you guys help me?" Kyohei looked at all of them, clutching John for strength, he took command, "Ranmaru, I'm not gonna have time to wait around for fourteen hours. I need you to pull some of your connections. Get me a private jet to Connecticut, on call. And I want a motorcycle waiting for me when I get there."

Ranmaru nodded, already taking out his cellphone and calculating who he'd have to seduce in person.

"Noi, I need you to help me. Get me the best chocolates and I'm sure because of Takenaga, you already know about what it's like in Connecticut, so you and Takenaga gotta plan how we can get her where we want her- fast, and surprise her."

Noi nodded obediently, and dialed Takenaga's number on que.

"Yuki, since you know so much about this stuff, you're gonna help me think of what to say."

Yuki gave him a salute, "Yessir!"

"And I... I'm gonna start with buying her a present, and I know just the place..."

o0[16:00:240o

So Takenaga got an important phone call from Noi and went to speak to her in private.

Sunako smiled, knowing it was just like Noi to call him before the day had ended.

She walked through the park, thinking about everything.

Takenaga told her she should just admit it to herself, and let herself accept it. So that's what she did now as she sat on a mossy rock, playing with the bugs at her feet. She sat and thought...

... Something Noi said was a very bad thing to do...

o0[15:30:240o

After about half an hour of talking about how much they missed each other, and what had happened to each other while they were away, Noi came back to the point of importance.

"So Takenaga, here's the plan. You're gonna start buying some decorations! I need you to spend the next five hours doing that, okay? You've got to make the house look like a nightmare! Make it so Sunako almost dies with happy surprise!"

"Right," Takenaga nodded to himself, writing down what Noi was telling him. He knew this was for Sunako and Kyohei, so he didn't care that it would take a lot of work, "But how can I do this right under her nose?"

"Ah! Well, when you're heading back with all the things you've bought, call her and tell her to go buy a load of stuff!"

"Ah, I see..." He was thinking that Sunako might get suspicious...

"Don't worry, Takenaga-kun! You're smart! You can convince her!" With the utter of his name in such a sweet tone, Takenaga was immediately fueled to do just what he was told.

"Okay, Noi-chi, I'm gonna get started. I love you."

"Love you, too!" She sang, smiling into the phone. He smiled as well.

_click_.

But when they hung up, their game faces were on, and they got to work immediately.

o0[15:30:070o

As Yuki and Kyohei sat in the back of Lady Nakahara's limo, they were stunned at how easy it had been to convince her. He only had to say, "_I want Sunako back." _Without skipping a beat, she called Sebastian and they were on their way into town.

Kyohei and Yuki were recalling all the things they had ever known Sunako to want, and not get...

The murder weapon of the inn keeper's wife [vol.2, sadly, everything from that dungeon [vol.7 had been blown up, so they'd get it elsewhere, the armchair from when the villagers kidnapped them [vol.9, and the Gruesome Twosome he had promised her.

o0[14:39:570o

So it took an hour to get where they are now. The four of them (including Sebastian) had driven up to the inn and finally, after the Landlady's authoritative lies, they had gotten the butcher knife and then located a shop where they could find everything they needed.

Right now Kyohei was leading the cargo carriers as Yuki shield his eyes, clutching the back of his friends shirt. They were inside the Tokyo Medieval Torture Museum. It was funny that the Landlady had somehow convinced the owner of the museum to let them borrow whatever they needed for the weekend... The powers that woman possessed were quite frightening.

Kyohei skimmed the list, "We've got the iron maiden, torture cage, torture wheel, guillotine, iron cage, branding irons..."

A smile crossed his face, "Alright, guys! We're done! Load this up, and I'll give you more directions!"

The carriers murmured in agreement as the trudged back to the truck, heaving the heavy and dangerous objects with them.

Kyohei called Ranmaru quickly and told him to have the jet ready for everyone to board, because they were done with the museum. He heard a woman whining for attention in the background and he knew Ranmaru was doing his job... A little too well.

"Oi! Don't make me get Sayuri over there to help you!"

"Don't talk to me about her!"

"Why not?! I know exactly what's up!" Kyohei heaved a sigh, "Yuki! Talk to him for me?"

Yuki nodded, "Later, Kyohei. We've still got to get the Gruesome Twosome and Ranmaru still has to help Takenaga get a helicopter in Connecticut to fly him wherever he needs to go... He hasn't found much in his new province..."

"Fine," Kyohei directed his attention back to Ranmaru, "You straighten yourself out. Go get that helicopter ready for Takenaga, and forget the motorcycle. we'll arrive at the house in time."

Then they hung up, and the boys got back into the limo with Lady Nakahara and Sebastian.

"Now, we've just gotta go to the Fright Shop, and we're done..."

Landlady was on the phone with Noi, instructing her to make sure Takenaga had Sunako out of the house soon because she had already hired movers in Connecticut to help him decorate, "I've even called in some special horror scene designers to help make it look like one of her slasher movies, or whatever, so he'd better get her out of the house!"

"Y-yes, Ms Nakahara!" Noi had to admit, the woman could be very scary when she wanted to be...

o0[14:36:420o

"So what's happened with you and Sayuri?" Yuki asked calmly into the phone.

"Ugh, right now we should be focusing on Kyohei and Sunako-chan!" Ranmaru and Yuki had teamed up to help the carriers put everything in the right place while Kyohei ran off to buy the doll set.

"Ranmaru, don't you like her? I know you do!" Yuki insisted that they would get together before they had to leave... After everything Kyohei told him, he felt grateful to Sayuri, and wanted her onboard the plane as well.

"So what?! I like _all_ women!" Ranmaru spat the words bitterly... Now Yuki had gotten somewhere.

His face softened, "I know you like all women, but I also know that Sayuri-san is different. I know it, Ranmaru... You're not going to do what you do to every other woman-"

"How do you know?!" Ranmaru huffed impatiently. What was the point in trying to convince _The _Ranmaru Morii that he could treat any woman different?

"Because I do!" Now Yuki pouted. It was, after all, too obvious, "If you weren't going to treat her different, then we wouldn't be having this conversation! You wouldn't be worrying about her feelings, you'd have already slept with her!"

Now, Yuki once again, had won the argument. This boy had a knack for psychological game-play.

o0[13:30:340o

Now, everything was set. They were waiting for take off. All of Sunako's present were in the cargo hold, the chocolates were in a cool, dry place, and everyone was settling into their seats. Nothing left to do but wait until Sebastian got the signal for take-off.

The entire time, Noi and the Landlady talked aloud about how they fantasized everything would go, Yuki tried inspiring Kyohei, and Ranmaru looked at Sayuri...

Yeah. He just looked at her. He was thankful that Kyohei had called her and told her to come, but resentful at the same time.

For once, the infamous ladies man had no words.

Meanwhile Kyohei was struggling, his handwriting a bit shaky as he scribbled down the things Yuki prompted him to think about...

Oh, this was going to be a bumpy ride...

o0Author's Note0o

I've been away for so long! Did you miss me?

So There's probably just one chapter left, and an epilogue I'm still fooling around with. This one wasn't so easy, but I had a lot of fun doing it! Especially making up times, and making everyone so frantic, then serious, then hysterical... Ah, what fun...

Also, I've started Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, so I'm really excited!

Ah HELP PLEASE! If you could give me an embarrassing comparison, that would help a lot.

Like: "Right now she was more embarrassed than a nerd getting pantsed." If you have one, put it at the end of your review, because I'd like to use it in my next chapter...

I hope you all liked this chapter, and I hope you review. To be honest, I was really hesitant about writing this, because I know I'm bad at endings, and I really treasure this story and my reviewers as my favorites. I had gotten in a slump when I had thought my writing was inadequate, and I had let a reviewer's words get to me. Honestly, I don't mind constructive criticism, like Rose Velvet and Blonde Existentialist, who really helped me, but when the critique plainly just insults me, saying my writing makes them fall asleep, I can't stand that!!!

Anyway, It's here, and I really hope you like it!

Again, I really value your opinion, and I really hope you haven't lost faith in me!

Thank you, and...

LATER DAYS!


	11. The Grande Opening

11. The Grande Opening

Disclaimer: I do not own the Wallflower or the characters in this story. Ah! I own Sayuri. That's all.

Title: Letters

Chapter: Eleven: The Grande Opening

A/N: Sorry, I left for PR on the 1st and got back last week. Now I'm ready to write!

Key: o0[Kyohei's Countdown0o - _Remember it's the countdown to how long he has to tell her. _

o0[12:00:5990o

"I can't believe how long this flight takes!" Kyohei was fuming, trying to re-channel his stress from being a clumsy writer.

"Hey! You're lucky I was able to get us there in 11 hours!" Ranmaru snapped at him, this being the twelfth time Kyohei had voiced his frustrations.

"Well, why not go _faster?"_ Kyohei seethed.

Ranmaru twitched, "_Because_. We're already pushing it as is! We could die, considering how fast Sebastian is driving!" Everyone else just rolled there eyes. Now they _knew_ Ranmaru was going to burst. "Why do you want to go faster, anyway? You've got nothing but _crap_ written down there!"

"Ranmaru!" Taken aback, Ranmaru turned stone as Sayuri had pulled his arm. Realising what he had said, he felt stupid. No, he felt like a jerk.

Kyohei just quieted down and slumped in his seat, pouting all the way as he resolutely continued his letter.

o0[o9:43:120o

Sunako flopped her feet against her bed.

She sat up, looking at her feet as they thumped onto the mattress.

She had taken an hour long sit in the park and still, she hadn't really defined what she was going to do. Takenaga had disappeared long ago, ever since Noi had called... She'd wondered where he went...

She'd thought it over. She was at Yale. She was going to study to become a writer. She was going to be dedicated, and she was going to stay that way for four years. She wouldn't get to see Kyohei. Even if she met with him during holiday's it wouldn't be enough. If she _could_ be with Kyohei, she'd want to see him everyday.

_If she could..._

Sighing, Sunako flopped back onto the bed.

What was the point in thinking about it now? She'd already made up her mind to go here. She was already _here._ She can't take that back...

And Kyohei... Was there any use thinking about him? Nobody ever said he loved her back. (Oh really, Sunako? You think so??)

_"I can't take it back, and I can't make him want me to..."_

"I should give up on him."

"I should give up."

But why? As she says this, why does she not believe it?

o0[o9:43:120o

"Shit..." He had been so caught up in what he was doing, he'd lost track of time. Since it was around four in the morning when he'd finally found a good spot to buy extra props, he'd decided to hide the things in the woods around their house and wait until morning when he'd tell Sunako to buy groceries...

That's right... There was no food in the house... Was Sunako-chan alright?

"Shit!"

So Takenaga phoned Kyohei and told him the plan. Then he told the movers the plan. Then he called the number Miss Nakahara gave him and told the set designers what to do.

Finally, he called a cab.

He was home in forty minutes. He immediately checked on Sunako. It seemed like she fell asleep as soon as head touched pillow.

Then he changed to pajamas and went straight to bed, setting his alarm for seven am.

Noi's many expressions flittered over his eyes as he dreamt happily about the next day.

o0[o6:03:590o

The alarm sounded with a horrible screeching. Takenaga sat up immediately, slamming his fist onto the blasted thing and hurrying to get Sunako.

But she was already awake.

Takenaga approached as she sat in the kitchen, a coffee mug in hand. She was staring absently at the decorated tile on the wall in front of her.

"Sunako-chan..."

Her head whipped in his direction, surprise evident on her face, "Uhn! Takenaga-kun, good morning!"

Takenaga smiled warmly, extremely relieved at how energetic she was. _Maybe _too_ energetic?_

"Wha- oh! Are you hungry?" Sunako looked worried... She had run to the store and gotten coffee and donuts, but she hadn't realized until now that he might not want that, and she hadn't bothered to go shopping yet (it was an inconvenience for her to go so early).

"No, no. I'm not hungry yet, thanks... But," And the devious little plan was put into action, "We don't have anything in the house. I was hoping you'd like to go out and buy this weeks groceries at the farmer's market?"

"There's a farmer's market?" Sunako's eyes gleamed at the mention of it... This meant serious haggling!

"Yeah, every Sunday in the town square nearest here," Takenaga feigned uncertainty as he looked at his watch, "Ooh, It's seven now. They close at noon... Do you think you'll have enough time? It's a pretty big market."

Sunako beamed, "Sure! In fact, let me get dressed, and I'll go now if it's okay."

"Sure," Takenaga smirked, "I've actually got some last minute school preparations to do anyway."

And with that Sunako headed upstairs and Takenaga alerted the three groups from last night.

o0[o6:03:590o

"Ranmaru... Ranmaru..." Kyohei whispered into his friends ear as not to wake the others. Ranmaru merely smirked and tried to nuzzle against where the woman's boobs would be... That is, if_ Kyohei_ was a _woman_.

When the thought that, _"this girl's _really_ flat-chested,"_ crossed his mind, Kyohei was beginning to get annoyed. In a normal voice, he said, "Oy, Ranmaru. It's Kyohei. Wake up."

That immediately registered and Ranmaru awoke from what had turned into a horrible nightmare.

When Ranmaru's eyes opened into a blank stare of incomprehension, Kyohei spoke, "I'm sorry about before, about being so rude when you guys are helping me and everything..."

Now this- This made Ranmaru want to laugh. At eighteen years old, Kyohei was _still_ Kyohei. Apologising wasn't exactly part of his normal habits. But Ranmaru understood his gesture, and what would happen if indeed, he laughed. The redheaded friend simply smiled, "Yeah, although I should apologise, too... Thank you."

Kyohei smirked back, and nodded his head, "True... But forget about it. I'm gonna apologise to everyone else when they wake up... Oh."

Ranmaru, who was settling back into a sleeping position, perked his head again.

"The guys... Yuki, Takenaga, and Noi... They're gonna apologise to you, too. Be ready for it, you know... You do deserve a thank you for what you and Yuri did for me and Sunako." Ranmaru tried to protest, "It may not have gone as you guys had planned, but still... It helped Sunako open up, right? From what you told me about that whole 'Suspension Bridge Affect.' You had good intentions the whole time, so it was wrong for us to have betrayed you after so long..."

"Yeah... Thanks, man." With that, Ranmaru lay back into his lounge-seat, leaning toward Sayuri.

"And one more thing..."

Ranmaru, becoming a bit impatient, didn't bother to change from his comfortable position, "Yeah?"

"While you were sleeping, you had you head on Yuri's shoulder." With an evil smile, Kyohei went off to his own seat.

Ranmaru snapped into an upright position and contemplated falling asleep that way.

o0[o5:30:370o

The farmer's market is an amazing wonderland of the best foods in the world.

She didn't want to leave it.

They even had great seafood! Great vegetables and fruit. Amazing meats and patisserie. Wonderful, smooth milks and cheeses.

It was all just too much.

But not enough.

Whether the farmers liked it or not, Sunako was going to be a permanent customer.

o0[o5:20:370o

An hour had gone by since Sunako left, and still, they had already managed to have finished the hallway. It was actually quite amazing. Even from Takenaga's point of view, he had to be amazed before he was scared.

He even hired actors to arrive at eleven, and wait until Sunako came home.

Takenaga ad guessed that because he'd heard that the farmer's market was rumored to be the best in country, Sunako would stay until they kicked her out.

The plane would be arriving soon... About four hours... So the same time as the actors then...

"_I can't wait to see Noi-chi_."

o0[o2:15:430o

"So we're finally here?!"

"Aha... well, we're over New York right now... But we won't be at our stop in Connecticut for another half hour.

"That's fine. As long as it's soon..."

Yuki smiled as Kyohei talked joyously with Lady Nakahara. Everyone really had gotten so close. They really were a family. How had they ever allowed anyone to leave?

He looked at Noi and Sayuri talked at another end of the cabin. By the looks on their faces, he knew they must have been talking about something girlish like Kyohei's confession. He thought to have some fun, and join.

"Ahha! Before all this scheming, I thought Kyohei was just going to come out and say it. Like: _Oy! Nakahara! I love you, you idiot!"_ Noi did a superb imitation of Kyohei, big mouth and all.

"Yes, but now... You know, Kyohei is a thinker. When it comes to something serious like this, he'll think about it until he's torn in two! Now, just by seeing all those pages he's written. He's going to tell her _everything_. He's going to tell her about when I knew him, why we're such good friends, about his mother, and about her..." Then they both smiled, "He's not just going to say it, he's going to say why, and how, and when..."

Then their eyes both glazed over as they fantasized about such romantic things one day happening to _them_.

Yuki laughed, turning his head away and shaking it. No use interrupting them now...

He looked for Ranmaru. Where could he be? Bathroom?

He looked around in a circle. Lady Nakahara and Kyohei by the mini bar, a white creamy couch, a ghost in a dark corner, Sayuri and Noi daydreaming, the captains cabin- wait... Dark corner.

Slowly Yuki approached his friend now aimlessly gazing outside the window.

"I know now that I will treat her special. I know how I feel. I know she's amazing and I can't pass this up, but..."

"You're scared," Yuki sat down next to him. Ranmaru continued to gaze out the window.

"... Yeah..."

"And you call yourself a Ladies' Man?" Yuki smiled. Ranmaru first gave him a shocked expression, but soon enough, he smiled back.

"Okay, smart-ass. Tell me what's wrong with me!"

"Nothing, you're just a coward!" Yuki laughed and hopped away toward his friends making little martini's.

"A coward, huh?" Ranmaru looked at Sayuri. Her beautiful black hair swayed gracefully around her neck and she hummed happily about Sunako and Kyohei. Her lips were small and pouty, and he wanted to kiss her. But he wouldn't. Her skin is creamy and smooth, and he wants to touch her. But he won't. "A coward."

With a smile of understanding, he looked back out the window.

Ranmaru Morii was no coward.

o0[o1:15:280o

So they would be here in fifteen minutes. The actors had already arrived and were being put in make-up and costumes. Takenaga slightly feared that Yuki might have a heart attack upon seeing them.

All the rooms were complete. The hallway looked like a graveyard. Being that it was long and wide, they were actually able to stick tombstones here or there, and they had dead body's and bloodied limbs strewn across the living room.

Considering that they lived in a one-floor house, it was easy to finish in time. Every room had been

turned into a different horror theme. It was perfect.

Takenaga chuckled. This was becoming more like a reunion party, with Sunako as their special guest. And when Sunako was involved, normalcy simply was _not_ an option...

Takenaga stood in his room where all the make-up was going on, and watched the craft for fifteen more minutes.

And then the doorbell rang. Right on cue.

As soon as he opened the door, he was enveloped into a deep hug. blonde hair swayed in his vision and Takenaga's soul silently left his body.

"_Takenaga-kun!,"_ Kyohei sang in his best imitation of Noi, _"I've missed you..."_

And promptly, Noi smacked him **hard** across the head.

They began to squabble, and Takenaga caught Noi's blush as she said how she wanted to be the first to greet Takenaga. The others all broke out into a sweat at how things had already become back to normal... _Their _normal.

After recomposing themselves, Takenaga kept his arms around Noi's waist as he showed everyone around.

And then it was time for the plan. Kyohei was sent immediately into make-up and dress, "Don't worry Kyohei! All you've got to do is read your letter. We'll all be waiting in the living room once she gets into her room." With that, Takenaga closed the door and left Kyohei surrounded with dazzled workers.

"But Takenaga! I want to watch!" Noi protested.

"Me too!" Shouted the LandLady and Yuki together.

Takenaga held up his hands.

"Don't worry, guys." Then he waved his hand for them to follow. They headed towards Sunako's room, busy with movers putting all the things from the plane, but stopped at a door just before hers. Takenaga opened it only to throw them all into a pantry closet.

Though it was spacious, that was all it was.

"Um... Takenaga... We're in a closet."

"Yes we are... But look what I had built in while everything was going on!" Then he pressed a button they hadn't seen, and the wooded wall to their left folded away to reveal Sunako's room. Their was tinted glass taking up it's space. the tint was patterned and... Moving? Was it moving?

"Moving...?" Everyone asked in unison, extremely puzzled by it all.

Takenaga simply smiled darkly, happy with himself, "It's designed to look exactly like a window. It's moving as a normal image would. Trees, the breeze, clouds, rain, occasional animals and such..."

"Oh!" Yuki smiled brightly, "Takenaga, you're brilliant!"

o0[00:10:000o

Sunako happily trot up the stairs. The day was a beautiful one. The market had successfully become a distraction from her circling thoughts about Kyohei.

This wonderland of grocer's goods was amazing! Even passing by carrots and shrimp, Kyohei hadn't crossed her mind once!

(Nope! Not once! There was no special reason why she had bought many expensive carrots and not one cheap shrimp).

But now, as she took out her keys, entering this new place... She knew it was not home...

It never would be. It couldn't be. It's not the same...

Home...

Solemnly, Sunako opened the door, "I'm back!"

Her eyes were closed tightly as she had forced out the happiest voice she could... But all was silent.

Wait... It wasn't silent... What was that noise?

That beautiful sound... Was it...?!

Upon recognition, Sunako's eyes shot wide open. Her many, many bags were forgotten on the floor.

And in front of her were bloodied bodies huddled everywhere over torn furniture, spattered with zombie blood. The noises coming from the depths of the house were wails from the tortured spirits of ancient prisoners...

_Is this __**heaven?!**_

Sunako sang happily, forgetting to even consider that maybe Takenaga was up to something. No. It did not matter.

She felt the chill as she danced past the hallway.

Stopping, she backtracked to find a foggy, narrow cemetery leading to her room.

So the beautiful spirits were calling her from her own room?!

Ah, it's all too much for a young girl to handle!

Embracing the role that surrounded her, Sunako quickly became cautious as she walked slowly through the hallway, thoroughly enjoying her current position as a gaunt hand gripped her ankle.

"Lovely ghoul," Sunako cooed, "Would you like to rise with me tonight?"

Underneath the hallway, the actor sweat nervously as he brought his hand back to his person.

Without much concern, the dark girl kept walking.

And finally, she reached her door. The wails grew louder now, calling her name painfully. The uncomfortable fog growing thick and cold around her shins, she smiled warmly.

Slowly, she creaked the wooden door to it's full length, and then looked at whatever it was fate had chosen she should meet with.

Long, black lace curtains hung around the ceilings and windows. It was the middle of the day, yet they gave the a view of an eerie full moon accompanied by only stray clouds in the dark night.

The moonlight refracted off of the many objects placed strategically around the area.

Sunako forgot to breathe as she glanced over the iron maiden, branding irons, guillotine, and the Gruesome Twosome... What?

Those dolls... The Fright Shop...

"_Kyohei..."_ At the magic words, the door immediately slammed shut behind her.

Sunako jumped in surprise, but whipped her head to face opposite the door, knowing something would be coming.

And something was.

It was John.

John the skull.

Sunako's John the skull.

o0Author's Note0o

No! It is not over! I am sorry, but it is not! There is but one more chapter before the epilogue! But that will be the final one! I promise!

Onto other things... Were you happy with this? Well? Did you like it? I'm sorry if it wasn't very good. Seriously, my writing can be very scrambled, and I'm sorry if it's annoying to read...

Anyway, the delay is due to my very long trip to Puerto Rico! I loved it so much, we were on the beach and blah, blah blah... Point being, I could not write on my vacation! So anyway, I'm sorry for taking so long.

Also, I finished Harry Potter 7. Also, school starts on September 14th and I have yet to finish the summer's required book. Also, on Monday I am starting my fasting. Also, my friend wants me to read New Moon or he'll kill me. Also, another friend wants me to read OUT, or I will be a bad friend. Also, it is 3:00 am and my mommy is mad because I am writing nonsense.

Please support me because I love you and if you don't I cannot be happy!

So read and review everybody! Review for this cute little writer who loves you all to death!

Later Days!

And always,

NerdSavvy


	12. The Finale

12. The Finale

Disclaimer : I do not own the Wallflower or the characters in this story. Though I do own this individual story.

Title : Letters

Chapter : Twelve: The Finale

A/N : Ah! Pretty quick update, considering it's _me_, right? I just finished my summer reading book, _Kindred_. I really liked it. And thank **karana113** for this update! Without her I would have felt like nobody was reading it. But then again, to the four of you who reviewed last, this is for you four!

o0o

John was an eerie, moonlit orb, staring at her from across the room.

Sunako took a step.

"Don't go."

She froze. Had John spoken? But that voice. She knew that voice. That was not John...

Only now did she notice the slim fingers supporting her treasured friend. And she remembered. She immediately remembered that she had given her friend away. She had given him away to that voice.

She looked up, and there was Kyohei, dressed elegantly in a black tuxedo, his face in it's usual annoyed expression, but his eyes. His eyes on her were very much the opposite. It made her forget to breathe.

His voice was it's usually alluring self, but his eyes held something she had never come across. That topaz burned into her with such intensity, it broke her from her blatant shock. Finally, it registered.

There, standing in her new house, in her new room, curiously decorated with the many things she loved, was the one man she had just sworn she wouldn't love.

It was like a strange dream. He even had a cryptic message. "Don't go?" She wasn't planning on going anywhere...

Or was it- she had already left?

Ah. There it is. Even if this is a dream...

_She had already left..._

"What are you doing here?" Sunako's eyebrows were painfully plastered into a forced expression of anger. Her lips were pursed and her fists were clenched tightly.

Kyohei's mouth pressed into a fine line as he bit his lips. He closed his eyes as he bobbed his head to urge himself forward.

His hand shakily placed the skull on a nearby table and picked up a bundle of papers.

He licked his lips and swallowed as his mouth dried like the deserts in Africa.

"I... I was really... Scared. When I started to realize you were going, I was in shock. I didn't know how to react... I knew what I wanted from you, but I didn't know how to get it... Uhm," Kyohei felt his cheeks grow hot as the pressure of what he was about to say boiled underneath his skin. He knew he wasn't even saying much of anything yet, but it made sense to him.

He looked down at the paper.

"Sunako." He looked up at her. Her expression softened a bit as she waited for what he had to say, "In the three years that I've known you, you've always caused me trouble..." Only now realizing that wasn't the greatest start, he trudged on, "But! But you made my life... better. Even at first, I knew you were different... I just didn't know if it was good or bad. But then, you... You were the only one to start off treating us- treating me _indifferently_. Without hesitation, I can say you treated me like an enemy."

He chuckled at this, reminiscing a bit. He looked at her, and she simply gave a small smile.

"At first, you reminded me of my mother, the way you hated me."

That stung her. Standing right there in front of him, she wanted to scream.

But she was frozen. Even though she was growing upset and hurt, she couldn't speak. She had to listen. She _wanted_ to listen. These words were from Kyohei...

That is, if it wasn't a dream.

"So that's why I liked to annoy you, I liked to get under your skin because... Because after a while, I knew you were different from my mother. I knew you had warmth. You were so bright, Sunako. And it kept me coming- just to fight with you, to laugh with you..." Kyohei's mind trailed off as he wished he could just blurt it out, but no. He would hold back. Before he told her, she would know this. She _needed_ to know this.

But at that moment Sunako really didn't feel like hearing it. Even if this was a dream she could accept, this would not change her mind. No. She had sworn she had given up on this boy. There were no take-backs.

"Back then when you still thought of yourself as ugly, I was mad. It was that part of you that made you like my mother... But I still felt like I had superiority. It wasn't because of my looks, though. It was because I thought I had all the confidence in the world, and you only showed yours when I fought with you... It..."

He trailed off, flushing a deeper shade of red, _"It's because you gave me confidence..."_ She wanted to say that, but... She was waiting. What was she waiting for? Waiting for a confession? How silly... This was probably a hallucination, anyway... But damn was it making her head spin. Where were her emotions? They were scattered. Anger, abandonment, love, gratitude, forgiveness...

He took a breath and continued. As the words came, his voice seemed so true, so raw and... Afraid. "It made me feel like you needed me. _I felt necessary..._"

He looked up at her and felt the pressure release from within him. So he could say it. He had told her what she had given to him. The gift of feeling needed, _wanted_ even.

She looked in his eyes, and she smiled. But it wasn't fully what he had expected. Her eyes swam, spiraling in something he could not place. It looked like pain... So even after everything, still all he could do was make her feel afflicted? Why couldn't he get it right?

Why couldn't she smile again?

His face became one of utter shame as he looked at her. And Sunako noticed. And she yearned to reach him.

"Sunako... Sunako, I'm sorry." He loved to say her name... He was greedy, he wanted all of her, and look where it was getting him? He should stop. Stop hurting her. He should leave her alone... "My point is that, that's why I've been acting so weird since you've grown so confident... I just felt like you didn't need me anymore. And it stung. I actually didn't know how I was acting, until I had that dream... It was a dream. A very, very wrong dream... I didn't think I had the right to dream it, but it was just a dream... And then when I woke up. I finally, really woke up. I mean I- _I saw what was always right in front of me_... "

But he _couldn't_ stop. He won't give up.

With his words, his face contorted painfully, but endearingly. It was a face she hadn't seen very often, and not ever if she could help it. She didn't like it. Not on him. _Never_ on him...

"So when I realized that you were leaving, I wanted to distance myself from you..."

He hadn't realized at all that with every word, she was closing the large space between them. Kyohei was practically trembling with the weight of everything he'd brought up. When she finally reached him, her hands went to his and she spoke gently, _lovingly_, "Please don't do that anymore..." For as he had been reading, Sunako had realized something...

Kyohei's expression was caught between the limbo of fear and hope. What would she say?

"If I want to read all that, I'm capable of doing it on my own," Sunako stated in a deadpanned voice as Kyohei's heart grew as heavy as stone. So that was it. She hadn't even wanted him to waste his time... Time... He'd been too late. His time was up. She'd given up. _Kyohei Takano_, the confident number one pretty boy of their old high school, was presently more embarrassed than a nudist wearing clothes. His entire face glowed with a red deeper than St. Nick's coat. The boy was too stupid to even realise that Sunako was smiling at him... Smiling. Truly smiling.

"Time," he repeated aloud in a ghostly voice. The color drained from his face completely within the second he had uttered the word, "I've lost to time... Twenty-four hours and I couldn't even confess to the woman I love... All because of a stupid rule..."

As Kyohei was mumbling all of this, Sunako had taken the very thick stack of eighteen pages and was in the act of tucking them safely into a manilla envelope. Then she heard Kyohei's soulless voice and stopped immediately. She turned around to look at a man that was not there a minute ago. In fact, he looked more like a fifteen year-old Sunako than an eighteen year-old Kyohei...

Panicking, she tried to establish what had done this to him. What was he mumbling on about?

Twenty-four hours? Why did that sound familiar. Noi's bubbly face popped into her head immediately.

She remembered that little superstitious friend... A year ago... What was she talking about?

_"Once you've set the mood for a real confession, you've only got twenty-four hours to do it again!"_

_"And if you don't make it in time, the person you had tried to tell will have overanalyzed the situation and your relationship will be awkward forever!"_

Ah... There it was. Looking back on it, Sunako wanted to laugh, just as she had at the time... I mean- Did she make that up right there? It was ridiculous.

However, the important thing was, Kyohei believed it. Not only did he believe it, but he already thought he had failed... Failed to confess... Oh, now she wanted to hear it so badly... So he loved her?

She had thought the letter was simply a goodbye, with things he'd always wanted to tell her. She then noticed that his handwriting was more frantic than usual, and there were things crossed out hurriedly across the page. So she had screwed up by letting annoyance and bitterness get the better of her.

"Kyohei, I'm sorry," Sunako walked toward him slowly, almost cautiously, "I forgot to tell you something..."

His face fell upon hearing it. Oh? Was she going to tell him about her new, totally _amazing_ boyfriend from Connecticut?

"The time between the US and Japan is about twenty-four hours... Here in the US, there's a whole extra day. That means an extra twenty-four hours... So..."

Kyohei's face had fallen just a bit. He had to admit he was ecstatic that she wasn't planning on introducing him to any new men, but still. What was with the random trivia? The US having another twenty-four more hours...?

Twenty-four more hours...

Oh.

As clarity dawned on his face, Sunako smiled, "Was there something you needed to tell me?"

She'd wanted, of course, to be the first to say it- mostly just because they were competitive by nature, and partly because she wanted to prove she wasn't being controlled by those words from so long ago. But instead she decided to let Kyohei win this one. After all, he never had before... And she'd get to win many more if things turned out for the better.

Kyohei cleared his throat. His face beamed in a way that would attract more than just women and animals his way. His expression and his aura filled the room with happiness, and Sunako's was soon to contribute...

"Sunako Nakahara," Kyohei stepped closer to her, breaking the set distance that had been between them, and pulled her into a tight hug. His fingers coiled into her hair and another gripped her waist. instinctively hers wrapped around his shoulders and he whispered it into her ear, "I love you."

Sunako took in a deep breath. Kyohei was content with staying this way, smelling her hair. Roses and Lavender... He could savor it forever.

And then she let out tears, her voice a bit choked. She said what was in her heart, "I love you, too..."

She didn't even have to think.

o0o

They were holding on like their lives depended on it, which of course, they did not. But they were content all the same.

That is, until Ranmaru, Sayuri, Yuki, Takenaga, Noi and the Landlady burst into the room singing happy congratulations.

The men flocked to Kyohei as he extricated his hold on her. They shouted words of congratulations as they patted him on the back. A "Finally" could be heard here or there.

All the women huddled around a chipper Sunako, crying. Noi and the Landlady balwed, handkerchiefs covering their nose and mouths, and Sayuri's eyes glittered with happiness. All three threw themselves onto her, glad to have finally succeeded in getting the two together!

"You guys are such babies!" Sunako shouted, trying to fake frustration... But she laughed along all the same.

The jolly atmosphere lasted into the dead of night as they passed around drinks and conversation flowed in a way it never had among the group.

Soon Sayuri strode over to where Ranmaru sat with Yuki, and naturally plopped down next to him. Promptly, Noi told Sunako that while Kyohei was talking, Ranmaru had decided to own up to his feelings for Sayuri, and now they were going _steady_. Yes, a very retro word... But still, it was something amazing, considering this was Ranmaru and Sayuri.

Later the landlady got up rambunctiously as she told them a story about her adventures through the Alps.

As the night grew longer, everyone started to relax and settle into sleeping positions. Yuki had laid his head on the landlady's lap as she straightened her legs and propped her head against a cushion. Takenaga had his arm around Noi as she rested her head on his shoulder. Ranmaru and Sayuri had sprawled out on the floor, fingers nearly touching as they spoke to each other in hushed voices. Sunako and Kyohei were sitting in the huge, gothic cathedra. He had her in his lap as she played with the sinister carvings in the dark mahogany. He imagined she'd fall asleep sooner or later, and he knew she'd be lying curled up with him...

But she never let go of his hand as she trailed her fingers across the surfaces of the intricate armchair...

Kyohei looked around at the bloody walls, the mildewed ceilings, spider webs, the iron maiden, the guillotine...

Everything Sunako loved. This was her sanctuary. And Sunako was his.

Together forever with Sunako.

That was his only wish.

o0(Several Years Later)0o

It was morning and, as usual, Kyohei woke to the smell of breakfast. Today smelled like bacon and pancakes. Smiling, he rose from the large bed, and quickly washed in the master bathroom.

He slowly head down the stairs, taking in how lucky he was to be living his life. The living room wall was actually a window, showing him a breathtaking view of central park in the winter. As he wandered through the condo, following the smell of food, he remembered something strange from long ago... Something like a dream.

Finally, he entered the kitchen. Immediately he spots Sunako in cotton shorts and a sleeping camisole, her back to him as she flipped strawberry pancakes.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her hair. The familiar smell of roses and lavender seeping into him.

She laughed happily, whispering a happy, "Good morning, Kyohei."

He wondered how his wife seemed to get more beautiful every time he saw her. It seemed almost impossible.

He hummed happily in agreement as she finished the pancakes and turned off the fire.

She turned to him in the tight space he'd given her between him and the stove, and he lowered himself to her stomach.

He rubbed it and cooed, "Good morning, my love."

Sunako laughed again, knowing how excited her husband had been when they found out it would be a girl.

She drew his attention with a ruffle of his hair, and he drew back to his full height smirking as he usually did.

And they kissed. And they kissed.

It wasn't with all the passion of their meetings while in college, no. These sweet kisses were happy ones, ones that came with laughter and the taste of strawberries.

Kyohei Takano drew back at last, taking the hand of his wife as they sat down to eat.

"What should we name her?" He pondered as he bit into his meal.

Sunako Takano simply smiled, and wiped bits of pancake from his mouth.

**THE END**

o0Author's Note0o

Alas! It is finished! Thank you all so much for sticking with this story. I love you, I love you, I love you all! Stick around for the epilogue... Though this was kind of an epilogue...

There are extra little tid-bits to this story, like secrets only the son of the Takano couple can tell, or how exactly Ranmaru had confessed to Sayuri, that I would like to add, but I might only give that to reviewers, since it just cute little drabbles... heh heh. (Or maybe if I get lots of reviews, I'll just put it in the epilogue... I wanted 13 chapters anyway.)

Anyway, I'm gonna be crying for the next couple days, saying goodbye to this story.

After all, you guys know I've been trying to finish it for two years!

I'm sad that this one's over... Ah, I'll just write some new stuff!

So thank you all for reading and taking time out to review.

I'm going to thank you all personally now.

**In order of when you first started reviewing going by chapters:**

MOMO This was dedicated to you! You are my best friend, and I wrote this for you- the one who gave me my first manga- which happened to the the Wallflower! Everybody should thank her!

**Chapter 1**

_water block_ - you were my first reviewer, so I thank you very much!

Thank you Riva.

celestial witch - You are a supportive reviewer and I really appreciated all of your reviews! And your stories are great, too, so your good at both!

Satan Hat - Your comment about their kid sparked my interest in writing and extra bonus chapter!

Thank you Chrysanthemum3 and crzygrl32!

**CholericX** - haha! Your review in chapter 4 made me really happy, because you didn't seem to like it too much at first! And you became a steady reveiwer, too! So it made me really happy!

Jazzelie - you reviewed chapter one, and you came back at chapter ten! Haha, I was glad to see you again, so thank you!

Thank you onyx eyed kitten!

Cute N Crazy Shanz - you know I loved you reviewing my stories, your reviews always, always make me smile! Thank you so much!

_Ka-chan_, thanks for the web-vocab tidbit, heh heh!

Thank you Unknown reviewer!

**Chapter 2**

**naash** - You were one of my favorite reviewers here! Thank you so much! You always kept me happy about my work and ready to write more!

Majia - haha, your smiley really made me smile and your review really made me feel confident, so thank you!

sakuradancer3 - thank you very much for what you said about my writing! I feel like you're my fanbase

**True Beast** - He's a close friend of mine, and I forced him to read, haha. So thanks for reviewing Seany!

_angelofsongs_ - thank you for reviewing! it really made me laugh, too! You are one of the most dedicated reviewers ever! And you don't even have your account loggin in!!!

Thank you kitty chic and kurumitatsuki.

Jisuki - Haha, you noticed how rushed my work usually is, good eye... Ahahahaha...

**Chapter 3**

Katria - Thanks for sticking it out through my very annoying hiatuses...

Beelzenef - Thank you for adding my story to favorites

FS.Rain - your energetic review got me going too. Haha, Ahh man, I regret what I did to Sunako in that chapter!

**Chapter 4**

Thank you crazie-foe-u, furuba-ffx-inuyasha, danslover, vikkiitori, Nana-Riiko, _Turquoise_, astig3422, _h2omelonbebe_, and _i'm lazy_!!!

**Blonde-Existentialist** - You are one of my favorite reviewers, and I really look forward to what you have to say! To me, you seemed to be experienced, so I appreciated what you had to say! I was so pleased to learn that you are older than me, and just to hear about yourself in general

ManufacturedTrust - The way you kept say "love, love" made me love you so much! Thank you for reviewing!

**Chapter 5**

**Rose Velvet** - And Rose V appears! As I was going through all my reviewers, I couldn't help but read what you wrote all over again! Your advice really helped me, and I'm very grateful for it! So thank you very much, it meant a lot to me!

**Chapter 6**

**xSTICKYxNOTEx** - Maybe you don't know this, but... I'm a big fan of your writing! Seriously! I really love it! So thank you for reviewing my work! And also, I hope my reviews were as nice as yours

**Chapter 7**

**Leaviel** - Hey! Your a favorite of my reviewers! You always said nice things, but I took them to be honest! Thank you!

PyroNeko - Thanks for your review, and all the pleases were funny to me, especially now- I do that to

the writers I read now, too!

**Chapter 8**

**Danziel-kun84** - Ah! Omg! Omfg! hahaha! I really, really enjoy your reviews! Thank you so, so, so much for putting time out like that to review, it made my day.

moody-monkey - haha, "No I don't like these apples!" I love your pen name, and I love your review! It was so cute and it made me laugh so hard!

OoO - That's a cute anonymous pen name!

**Chapter 9**

SyriX - Ah! I can't believe I could inspire someone! Me! Me?! I was thinking that the whole time- and still am! I'm completely honored! And thank you for reviewing!

_Columbia Valentino_ - Ah! Stop with the flattery! But really, thank you so much for your reviewing! It really, really made me happy to hear what I'd written was good. I'd been very hesitant about this chapter.

Strikeback - Ah! I know! I secretly, sort of, updated for you Ahaha, it's because you made me laugh with that review.

Naughtykagome - Nice penname! And thank you so, so much for your sincere reviewing! And really- I really want to know- Who's Alex Flinn? Is he really good? Maybe I'll buy one of his works? What do you recommend?

cowgirlkitten2000 - Thank you for reading all this, and being so sweet about it all!

**Chapter 10**

LoanlyStar - I was very glad to hear you came back to read more!

Glitter001-Crescent - Haha, I love those tears! Thank you for reviewing!

dogluvr91 - Yay! I'm glad you loved my silliness...

**Chapter 11**

Sheshka - Thank you for reviewing! You are a new reviewer, so I was really happy about that!


	13. Epilogue

13. Curtain Call!

This is Letter's last installment. This is the epilogue. Thank you all for reading and requesting this. So you must have even read my stupid rants at the end!

o00o

Hi. I'm the spawn of Sunako and Kyohei Takano...

My name is Yuami. It comes from the kanji "yu" meaning bind, "a" meaning love and affection, and "mi" meaning beautiful. They say it's because I am a beautifully binding love...

To be honest, I'm surprised that my name is something so ordinary. I mean, it's not exactly ordinary, but hell... I was thinking and I'm lucky my mom didn't just name me Freddy for the hell of it!

But I guess I know the truth about it now.

Dad told me that before they knew whether I'd be a boy or a girl, my mom went on a rampage trying to find out which famous murderer's name would suite me the best.

He said she went through mounds of books dating back to the fifteenth century in every culture, just to see which was the greatest. He said that it went on for nearly a month before he calmed her down. He said he was in total chaos because of her. He was so worried about our health, my mother being the woman she is. When he finally got her to chill out, they argued for a while, and then she went and wrote a mystery novel about a detective suspecting a rebellious wife of hiding the murder of her husband... It went on the best seller's list. During that time, dad took time off as the head chef of his old restaurant to take care of her.

It worried me that mom might have hurt him, but dad assured me that it was all in good fun.

When they found out I was a girl, nobody was disappointed. At that time, I think they were so happy, they couldn't help but seep sappy love from the pores.

Mom was four months pregnant when Yori was born. Yori's my best friend. He's uncle Take and Auntie Noi's son. His name means dependence. I don't know, I guess it really suits him... Auntie and Uncle dote on him constantly, and dad loves to mess around with him all the time, pulling rough pranks that he wouldn't dare try on me. Yori's a really good guy. I can rely on him for everything. Together with Ren (Uncle Maru and Auntie Yuri's daughter) and Ryouta, (Uncle Yuki and Auntie Machi's son) we learned all about what our parents were like before we were born. I wish I could have known them then, because even though mom and dad still kick ass, and taught me every form of fighting known to man by the age of fifteen, I still think they've all gone soft since we were born.

After I was born, dad decided he wanted his restaurant kept a little under the radar so that he always had time to be with me and mom. Yori and I don't have siblings, so most of our days off we go over to Ryouta's house because he has two younger sister's now. Even though Ryouta's really tough, he's unnervingly gentle to Chiyo and Chika. Ren says it's the sweetest side of Ryouta yet. Me and Yori find it the creepiest. But we always just smile and nod when Ren goes on one of her little romantic rants. Right now auntie Yuri is pregnant with a baby boy. Ren smiles sincerely when she says that she and Ryouta could take care of him like their own son. I think she's been after Ryouta since birth. Ryouta pretends he hates the attention, but he never turns her away so, it's all good.

Ren told me that her daddy was a big player before Auntie Yuri, but on the same day my mom and dad got together, he took her hand and whispered I love you right there in front of Ryouta and Yori's parents. Still, I'm pretty sure Ren got her smooth ways from uncle Maru...

Once when Yori and I were playing hide and seek. Mom and dad went grocery shopping and trusted Yori to take care of me while they were out. It was summer, and during summer mom and dad always come to New York. Because our parents are really close, we started alternating who went to whose house during summer break. Yori was staying with us this year.

Yori had just turned twelve, and I would be in December. I was hiding under my parent's bed in our New York condo when I found two boxes under their bed, side by side.

It was weird because the boxes weren't dusty at all, but they looked pretty old from being used and reused. I called Yori right away. We took out the boxes cautiously like we were spies. One was all black and slick on the outside, and the other was completely white and textured. When we opened it we were kind of disappointed because I was expecting to find evidence from some old crime they had committed, with gory pictures and details... Yori thought that they'd hold some sort of cryptic family secret we could solve together.

But they were just letters. In the black box were letters to my dad from my mom. I looked all the way to the first one and found out that it was like a confession... I'd never heard about it before. It was short and didn't really say much. I read it aloud to Yori.

_"__Kyohei,_

_I've already decided to go to school in the states, but I hadn't decided what to do about you. You're a really annoying guy, and I can never make up my mind on whether I want to just kick your ass, or give you roses._

_I just want to say thank you. Because of you, I could actually look ahead and find confidence in myself. After you, I could finally stop blaming others for what was wrong with me, and just fix my shit by myself..._

_More importantly than anything else, and I'm sorry to say it. I love you._

_I love you._

_But we're going our separate ways now, and I know we're just too different to keep things the way they are. I will miss you._

_I'm sorry I love you._

_Sunako__"_

To me and Yori, this was the strangest thing I'd ever read. The first letter in the white box was from dad to mom. It was really long, so we skimmed it. The next one he'd written suggested that they write to each other every week they were away to show the distance didn't matter. It said something else about twenty four hours, but we didn't really get it.

From that moment on, the four of us spent our free time investigating out parent's life's before we were born. It all started in high school.

Now we all torment our parents with our silly knowledge of their most embarrassing love stories. Yori's especially into it. I think it's because daddy likes to pick on him. Dad will say something like, "Because Yori's still a child, he doesn't understand the needs of a woman," usually he'll reach for mommy and me and say, "Right Yua?" I always raise a brow and look at my mom, then at Yori. Mom always shakes her head and kisses dad's hair.

Usually Yori will get all red and angry and shout something about how lame dad used to be- denying how he felt about my mom. Then he'd say how my dad was his rival. I used to think that he was in love with my mom.

Once when Uncle Maru was teaching the four of us kendo, I was fourteen. I plopped down next to my bronze-haired friend and didn't look at him. I don't know why, but it was bugging me, "Yori, are you in love with my mom?"

My golden eyes shot him a side glance. I wanted to take it back right away.

His blue eyes seemed to pale a little, and he looked at me a bit angry.

He didn't talk to me for a while after that. It was hard, because it was Yori. We'd been together since I was born, and I needed Yori. I was dependant on Yori.

I cried and told my mom. She smiled quietly as she brushed my hair. It was identical to hers, and we usually styled it the same way. After I finished crying, she told me that he did probably have a crush on her when he was little, but then she told me my name meant a beautifully binding love.

Then she kissed my head and sent me to bed. As I left the room I heard her hum quietly and say, "sounds like we have another interesting love story on our hands."

The next day, I told Yori that I couldn't stand not talking to him, and when I cried, he hugged me tightly, like he hadn't done since we were ten. Then after I hugged him back and stopped crying, I punched him in the stomach and we went on fighting like we usually did. But we were having fun.

I guess I turned my parent's love story into my own?

Sorry, but hey, at least you've been kept up to date!

Anyway, us four families are going on a trip to London this winter break, so I gotta pack.

I hope you like my little info.

Hey, maybe if you want we could all watch a movie together?

Ryouta and I were just about to sit down and watch Masters of Horror's first season while Ren and Yori were at their art class. If you want, you can reach us at the old Nakahara mansion. It's become somewhat of a tradition to live under our great Auntie Nakahara.

The door's open, so come over anytime.

See you later, then.

o00o

Ahhh, you like? Told you it was a drabble!

And is it just me, or did this section become a bit... dead?!

I'm looking and new stories haven't been getting any love. Like- 1 review per chapter and such... Ok guys, I'm really lucky I get so many! Help me with the being a big fan of the most awesome manga ever! I don't want this thread to die, so let's give every story a chance.

Anyway, Ren is actually my name! It means lotus or love in Japanese. I think there's also a character for person... Yeah, but mine is for lotus. But this girl's is for love! Ryouta means strength.

Did you like it? It's like- now you know everything basically...

Okay, thank you for reading!

Yay Lucky 13 Friday the 13th scary number 13 and whatnot

Okay.

Later Days,

NerdSavvy


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